Prime Minister Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Sanjay Nishad
In politics, no one is related to anyone, and everyone decides to make friends and enemies by multiplying his political gains and losses. In this context, he went out of his way to embrace those he considered favorable in the Lok Sabha elections but distanced himself from them in the by-elections. The same pattern can be seen in by-elections being held from Uttar Pradesh to Rajasthan, with big parties no longer trusting their partner parties but standing up to fight this electoral battle alone.
In Rajasthan, the Congress party had entered into alliance with BAP and RLP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, but it parted ways with the two allies in the by-elections. Similarly, in Uttar Pradesh, the Samajwadi Party had joined forces with the Congress Party to participate in the 2024 elections, but the Congress Party came up empty-handed in the by-elections. In Uttar Pradesh too, the BJP has sidelined the Nishad Party. In 2022, the BJP itself is contesting the Majhivan seat won by Nishad’s party. Similarly, in Bihar, the RJD did not give even a single seat to its ally Congress.
BJP-SP distances itself from allies
By-elections are underway for nine Fine Gael seats, with the People’s Party and the Socialist Party as the main contenders. Out of the nine seats in the state, the BJP itself is contesting in eight seats and has left one seat for its ally RLD, Meerapur. Nishad Party is demanding two seats in Majhwan and Katehri on 2022 basis, while RLD is demanding seats in Meerapur and Khair. The BJP gave the Meerapur seat to the RLD but did not give a seat to the Nishad Party. Even the Majhwan seat, where there is an MLA from Nishad Party, was not found.
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SP-Congress come together to contest UP by-election
Meanwhile, the Congress and Samajwadi Party are jointly contesting the Lok Sabha elections under the Alliance of India. The Congress hopes to contest the five BJP seats controlled by the BJP and its allies. The SP wants to give only Khel and Ghaziabad seats to the Congress. As far as the political equation is concerned, both the seats are considered strong for the BJP and weak for the opposition. In this case, the Congress withdrew its candidacy for two seats, while the Socialist Party announced its candidacy for all nine seats.
BJP and SP have confidence in themselves
The UP by-elections are considered as the semi-finals of the 2027 assembly elections. That is why the two major parties, the BJP and the Socialist Party, are relying more on themselves than on their respective allies. This is why the SP did not give seats to the Congress in the by-elections but came out to fight against the BJP itself. Likewise, the BJP is fighting for its own electoral symbol and not the Nishad Party or other allies. The BJP has fielded candidates for eight seats, while the RLD will contest one seat. The BJP and SP know this from the 2024 Lok Sabha election results and they believe that if they contest on their respective election symbols, then victory is certain but if they contest on any ally, then victory is not certain.
Congress distances itself from allies in Rajasthan
By-elections are ongoing in seven assembly seats in Rajasthan and the Congress party has fielded its candidates in all the seats. In the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress is contesting the elections in alliance with Hanuman Beniwal’s RLP and Rajkumar Rot’s BAP. The Congress party also gained political benefits from the alliance but remained distanced from the BAP and RLP in the by-elections. Of the seven seats where by-elections are ongoing in Rajasthan, four are vacant due to Congress quota and one is vacant due to the death of a BJP MLA.
Separation of Congress and Allies
As BAP chief Rajkumar Roat was elected as Lok Sabha member, 84 seats fell vacant, while a by-election was going on in Khinvsar assembly seat as RLP chief Hanuman Beniwal became a member. After Congress selected candidates for all seven seats, Beniwal said he will now announce the names of the candidates. BAP has fielded its candidates in both seats. While the Congress has distanced itself from its allies, the contest with the BJP on four seats has now turned into a three-cornered contest.
Congress failed to win even a single seat in Bihar
By-elections are being held in four Assembly seats in Bihar. Under the Indian Alliance, the RJD, Congress, Left parties and VIP had contested the Lok Sabha elections together, but now only the RJD and the Left are trying their luck in the by-elections. The RJD will contest from three of the four seats (Ramgarh, Belaganj and Imamganj), while the CPI (ML) will contest from Tarari seat. There was not even a single seat for Congress and VIPs. The Congress party wants to contest a by-election to a seat in Bihar and is demanding Imaganj seat. The RJD ignored the demands of the Congress. In this way, the RJD distanced itself from the Congress and decided to try its luck on its own.