Ghosi bypoll: I.N.D.I.A. wins first skirmish, defeats NDA by huge margin

In a big jolt to the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party candidate Sudhakar Singh — who had the support of the Indian Nationalist Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) — defeated the BJP's Dara Singh Chauhan, his former party peer, in the Ghosi by-election by a huge margin.

Necessitated by the resignation of Dara Singh Chauhan from the Samajwadi Party while he was the sitting MLA from Ghosi, the by-election was seen as the first big test for the newly formed INDIA alliance.

Though the results of the Ghosi by-poll will not have any impact on the political fortunes of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, it does prove that an united Opposition can easily defeat the BJP in a one-on-one fight.

Chauhan, who was seeking re-election, joined the BJP in July this year. He had resigned from the Samajwadi Party to do so, after having resigned from the BJP last year to join the Samajwadi Party in the first place.

While the Congress, the CPI(M), the CPI and the RLD (Rashtriya Lok Dal) extended their support to the SP candidate, Apna Dal (Sonelal), the NISHAD Party (Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal) and the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) supported Chauhan and the BJP.

Interestingly, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) did not field any candidate for the bypoll. This also went in favour of the INDIA bloc candidate, say political observers in UP.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said "negative, communal politics has been defeated".

Saying that "Bharat has started voting for INDIA," Akhilesh Yadav declared that "propagandists, jJumlajeevi" have been defeated too.

"This is the victory of issues such as inflation, corruption, unemployment," he added.

Reacting to the outcome, RLD chief Chaudhary Jayant Singh congratulated Sudhakar Singh and Akhilesh Yadav on X (formerly Twitter).

He started his message, however, by thanking the voters of Ghosi for a "big victory" that would boost the morale of the INDIA bloc.

The UP Congress put out a statement saying, "The people of Ghosi gave a place in their heart to the appeal of state president Shri Ajay Rai-ji. The victory of the candidate of the INDIA alliance in this by-election declares that the people are fed up with the anti-people policies of the BJP and the market of hatred. Believe it! In 2024, the people of Uttar Pradesh have made up their mind to bid farewell to the NDA."

With this victory, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s position will be strengthened within the INDIA bloc too and his claim to be a face of the alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls that much more credible.

This is the INDIA bloc's second celebration today, with the Puthuppally bypoll down south having been won by a record margin by Chandy Oommen, son of the late Congress leader Oommen Chandy.