BJP loses deposit in three out of four Punjab bypoll seats
BJP's poor performance despite increased vote share highlights the need for introspection.
3 min read
The BJP fought the bypolls without an active state president, as Sunil Jakhar refrained from campaigning following his resignation. (File Photo)Despite doubling its vote share to 18.5 per cent in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, the BJP failed to win any seats in Punjab and continues to grapple with significant challenges. In the Assembly bypolls, the party not only lost all four contested seats but also forfeited security deposits in three constituencies.
State BJP president Sunil Jakhar had offered his resignation to party chief J P Nadda after the Lok Sabha results, but it remains unaccepted. The bypoll results have amplified calls within the party for a “pause and reset.”
Forfeited deposits and weak performance
In Gidderbaha, former finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, the BJP candidate, managed only 12,174 votes, losing his security deposit. This was a drop from the 14,850 votes the party secured in the same constituency during the Lok Sabha polls, despite stiff farmer protests then.
In Dera Baba Nanak, BJP candidate Ravi Karan Kahlon, who had switched from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in May, secured just 6,505 votes, forfeiting his security deposit. This was significantly lower than the 17,099 votes SAD polled in the Lok Sabha elections, indicating a lack of vote transfer despite SAD not contesting the bypolls.
Similarly, in Chabbewal, Sohan Singh Thandal, a four-time Shiromani Akali Dal MLA, could only garner 8,692 votes on a BJP ticket. This was a sharp fall from the 19,329 votes he had won as an Akali Dal candidate in the 2022 assembly elections.
The only silver lining was in Barnala, where BJP candidate Kewal Singh Dhillon secured 17,958 votes, saving his security deposit but finishing third.
Leadership gaps and campaign missteps
The BJP fought the bypolls without an active state president, as Jakhar refrained from campaigning following his resignation. Additionally, controversies during the campaign further marred the party’s efforts. Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu faced backlash for remarks comparing farmer union leaders to the Taliban and calling for Enforcement Directorate investigations into their assets. The remarks drew criticism even from within the BJP, including apologies from vice president Harjeet Singh Grewal.
While farmer unions allowed BJP candidates to campaign in villages unlike in the Lok Sabha elections, resentment lingered over issues like delayed paddy lifting and fertiliser shortages, which were attributed to both the BJP and the AAP.
Need for introspection
BJP leaders acknowledge that the bypoll results reflect deeper issues. “People vote differently in Lok Sabha, assembly, and bypolls. By-elections often favour ruling parties. However, we will introspect and chart the path ahead,” said Vineet Joshi, BJP Punjab’s media in-charge.
A BJP leader, who requested anonymity, added, “We have a challenging road ahead and must work harder if we are to prepare for 2027.”
The results also show that the SAD votes did not shift to the BJP, despite the Akalis opting out of the bypolls. As apolitical observer put it, “The BJP’s lacklustre performance highlights the party’s struggle to establish itself as a credible alternative in Punjab, and calls for strategic rethinking.”
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