BJP's bypoll loss shows Modi's popularity has reduced: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut termed BJP's loss in Bankipur and Datia bypolls a sign of PM Modi's declining popularity. He linked the defeat to the Ayodhya temple case and NEET protests, calling Prashant Kishor's win a sign of change.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday termed the BJP's loss in Bankipur and Datia bypolls as a change in the political landscape of the country, where he claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity has reduced. Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor won the Bankipur bypoll against Neeraj Kumar on a seat considered to be the BJP's stronghold. In Datia, Madhya Pradesh, Congress candidate Ghanshyam Singh won against BJP's Ashutosh Tiwari. However, Majalpur seat in Gujarat was won by BJP's Satendrabhai Patel, who defeated Congress candidate Bhikhabhai Rabari by a huge margin of 30,630 votes.

Raut links BJP's loss to Ayodhya, NEET issues

Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Raut attributed the BJP's loss in the two bypolls to the Ayodhya Ram Temple donation embezzlement case and protests over the NEET-UG paper leak at Jantar Mantar. Raut said, "This mandate is against the BJP. This means the people did not like that the Ram temple loot happened and the way students were hit at Jantar Mantar. The people have rejected 'Mangal Milan'."Addressing a press conference earlier today, he said that the public in Bankipur gave a reply to the BJP for its "arrogance." The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, "The bypoll results are not shocking. Bankipur was BJP chief Nitin Nabin's seat and was considered a BJP fortress, but they lost to Prashant Kishor. How confident was the BJP regarding the seat? The people broke their arrogance. In Datia, Congress won despite BJP's tactics. They won the seat in Gujarat, but that is not significant. I won't say that this is something revolutionary or these were mini-general elections."

'Future is visible in these results'

"However, the future is visible in these results. It is visible that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP's popularity have degraded. You could not save Bankipur. The weather appears to be changing. Prashant Kishor did not win a single seat in the Assembly elections. He now focused on one seat and did good campaigning. Also, the BJP seated an illiterate CM and insulted the public," he added.In Bihar's urban bastion of Bankipur--a saffron stronghold since 1995 vacated by BJP National President Nitin Nabin--Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor secured his maiden electoral victory by a resounding 19,324 votes. (ANI)(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)