The results of the Assembly elections were nothing to exult about for BJP with the party faring poorly in Uttar Pradesh and its chief minister B C Khanduri losing in Uttarakhand although it grabbed Goa from Congress.
In Punjab, the party rode back to power because of ally Akali Dal even though its tally declined from 19 in 2007 to 12 this time in the 117-member House. The BJP also managed only two seats in Manipur in the 60-member Assembly.
The biggest jolt to the BJP has come in UP where its expections were high but these hopes were dashed as it could manage only 49 seats, two less than the 2007 total of 51.
BJP Nitin Gadkari and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj accepted that the results had not come upto their expectations and there was a need to introspect.
"In Uttar Pradesh, the results have not been upto our expectations.... There was a polarisation of votes between two parties. The people were against Mayawati and so chose Samajwadi Party as the alternative," Gadkari said.
He reasoned that since there was resentment against BSP rule and the electorate wanted to choose a party which was in a position to get the majority, the voters felt their vote would go waste if they voted for any other party other than the SP. He said the party does not hold anybody responsible for its performance in UP.
{{/usCountry}}He reasoned that since there was resentment against BSP rule and the electorate wanted to choose a party which was in a position to get the majority, the voters felt their vote would go waste if they voted for any other party other than the SP. He said the party does not hold anybody responsible for its performance in UP.
{{/usCountry}}Swaraj said there was a need for serious introspection about the BJP performance in UP.
Interestingly, the BJP was more focussed on dismissing Congress in UP, stating that the party had made it a prestige issue with Rahul Gandhi in the forefront but performed badly.