Bypoll Results: Akhilesh Yadav Says BJP's Loss a '12-Year Return Gift'; Lalan Singh Calls It Normal
The Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday described the recent Assembly byelection results as a "12-year return gift" to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the outcome reflected the ruling party's actual support when elections are conducted without what he called unfair practices.
The remarks came as votes were being counted in the byelections for the Bankipur seat in Bihar and the Datia seat in Madhya Pradesh. The results showed the BJP facing setbacks in these contests.
Speaking to reporters in Parliament, Mr. Yadav said, "There is not much left for the BJP workers, and this is a 12-year return gift to the Bharatiya Janata Party." He claimed the BJP had refrained from methods it had previously used to influence electoral outcomes.
Mr. Yadav alleged that in earlier byelections in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the BJP had relied on the police administration and other unfair means. "If the BJP had fought this election the way it did in Kundarki, Rampur or other byelections, it would not have lost. This is not a defeat in the usual sense; it shows how many votes the BJP gets when elections are conducted fairly," he said.
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, popularly known as Lalan Singh, dismissed the criticism. "It is not the first time that any ruling party has lost a byelection. In politics, it happens," he said.
Responding to a question about the rise of newer political formations, Mr. Yadav suggested that the mainstream media should introspect. "The mainstream media should be concerned that the 'main street' moved ahead of you. People on the ground reached places where you could not," he said. He also noted that he had heard sweets were being distributed within the BJP despite the setback, questioning the reason behind the celebrations.
On the Datia bypoll, the SP chief said his party had extended support to the Congress because of the geographical proximity between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi region.
Mr. Yadav also backed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal's protest against the Centre's E20 fuel policy. He urged automobile manufacturers to explain the benefits of E20 fuel directly to consumers. "Automobile companies should come forward and tell consumers the benefits of E20. Along with the government, someone is also making profits. It appears automobile companies may also be hand-in-glove behind the scenes," he alleged.
