BJP defeat in UP, Bihar byelections: CPM sees change in tide for rural polls, BJP unfazed by loss

According to a senior CPM leader, the party will highlight the BJP’s electoral setback in the bypolls during panchayat election campaigning in the state, besides highlighting the achievements of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), which recently organised a long march of farmers from Nasik to Mumbai. “It is a fact our workers were demoralised following our defeat in Tripura Assembly election. The success of the farmers’ march helped rejuvenate our cadres and sent a message that all is not lost. With BJP losing Lok Sabha seats in its own states, our leaders and workers are feeling the battle is still on and we will give BJP a good fight in panchayat polls,” said a senior CPM leader on condition of anonymity.

The CPM and BJP have been fighting over second place in recently-held bypolls. While the CPM had come second in the Sabang Assembly bypoll, the BJP pulled took the spot and increased its vote share during the Uluberia Lok Sabha and Noapara Assembly bypolls. Brushing aside the CPM’s view, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha told The Indian Express that the Left has been completely disillusioned.

“The Opposition parties across the country are going through an existential crisis. Now about 19 Opposition parties are coming together to corner BJP. Under such circumstances, they might have seen some ray of hope to defeat the BJP. They are thinking that they will do goo in panchayat polls. I will remind them some months ago BJP had lost bypolls in Rajasthan. But soon it won Assembly election in Tripura and formed government in Nagaland. So it is not as simple as it might appear,” he said.