The recent landslide victory in the Ghosi assembly by-election has significantly boosted the morale of the I.N.D.I.A. Alliance, a coalition of opposition parties. This by-poll in Uttar Pradesh was regarded as a critical test of strength between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the I.N.D.I.A. Alliance leading up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
In a remarkable outcome, Samajwadi Party candidate Sudhakar Singh secured a historic victory with a substantial margin of 42,672 votes, defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Dara Singh Chauhan. Sudhakar received 1,24,295 votes, while Dara Singh Chauhan garnered 81,623 votes.
Akhilesh Yadav, the former Chief Minister and leader of the Samajwadi Party, celebrated this victory as the first major success of the I.N.D.I.A. Alliance in Uttar Pradesh. He expressed confidence that the NDA would face a significant setback in both Uttar Pradesh and the entire country during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Akhilesh Yadav extended his gratitude to the public, emphasizing that this triumph belonged to Team I.N.D.I.A. and the collective strength of the PDA (Pichda, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak) – referring to the marginalized, Dalit, and minority communities. Other opposition parties, including the Congress, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), and leftist groups, also hailed this victory as a success for the I.N.D.I.A. Alliance. Additionally, the Samajwadi Party secured victories in by-elections for four district council member seats in Uttar Pradesh.
On the other hand, following the election results, NDA alliance partners began to engage in blame-shifting and internal disputes. Nishad Party, an NDA affiliate, led by Chief Dr. Sanjay Nishad, attributed the defeat to infighting within the BJP. He also pointed fingers at Om Prakash Rajbhar of the Suhel Dev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) for the loss. In response, the state BJP Chief Bhupendra Choudhury asserted that the party would conduct a thorough performance review and present a formidable challenge in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
