THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Puthuppally bypoll outcome has come as a huge eye-opener for the state BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha poll. The party not only witnessed major erosion in its vote base but also lost its deposit in the by-election. NDA candidate G Lijin Lal failed to showcase a noticeable fight. The BJP’s vote share dropped considerably compared to previous election. He could secure only 6,554 votes against 11,694 votes in the 2021 assembly election. This time around, the saffron party got 5,136 votes less compared to the last election. Its vote percentage has dropped from 8.87 % in 2021 to 5.02 %.
That the party was unable to poll its own votes, raises bigger questions before the local leadership. Taking into account the elaborate campaigning by NDA in the constituency, the poll verdict shows the BJP will have to go for new tactics if it wants to record its presence in the Lok Sabha polls.
It was in the 2016 assembly election the BJP got its maximum number of votes at Puthuppally. Its candidate George Kurian got 15,993 votes (11.93%). In 2021 BJP candidate N Hari got 11,694 votes (8.87%). Even in 2011 its candidate P Sunil Kumar got 6,679 votes. Its vote percentage was even higher - 5.71% -than this time.
There are a slew of factors that worry the BJP. One is the erosion of its traditional vote base. The poll verdict once again proved that the party does not have even a fighting space in the state’s electoral politics. Like the CPM, the BJP state leadership also puts the blame on the sympathy factor.
To make matters worse, the CPM has come up with the allegations that BJP votes have gone to the UDF candidate. An embarrassed BJP state chief chose to put the blame on an anti-incumbency wave coupled with the sympathy wave in favour of the UDF candidate. The voters effectively utilised the opportunity to vote against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, said K Surendran. Terming it a temporary phenomenon, Surendran said the people’s verdict has highlighted two major factors.
“In an election held within 40 days of the demise of the most popular leader of Congress, there was a strong sympathy wave. The UDF was able to cash in on the same. On the other hand, people also had the sole agenda of teaching Pinarayi Vijayan a lesson. It’s an indication of the Left’s future in the state,” said Surendran. The poll result was the same during most bypolls necessitated by the death of prominent leaders, he added.