Bypoll results not a referendum on Centre: BJP

NEW DELHI: After suffering a jolt in Assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat, BJP today put up a brave front, saying the results were not a referendum on the Central government as the elections were fought only on local issues.
The BJP, which lost 13 of the 23 Assembly seats held by it earlier, said the results would not have any fallout on either the central or state governments, but has given the party an opportunity to correct its shortcomings at local level to help it win the upcoming Assembly polls.

"These results are not a referendum on the Central government. They were fought totally on local level issues. The results have given us an opportunity to correct local level shortcomings and will definitely help us win the coming State Assembly elections," BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters here.

Party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said BJP has won at some places but lost on some as it was fought on local issues and where some parties had complete majority.

"These bypolls will have no effect on either Central or State governments," he said.

In Uttar Pradesh, he said with Bahujan Samaj Party not contesting, the anti-BJP votes was polarised and that helped the Samajwadi Party and Congress bag the seats.

He, however, said with the party winning one of the two seats in West Bengal was a good sign.

"The anti-BJP votes got polarised in the absence of BSP in UP. Our voters also got over confident. But the Lotus blooming in West Bengal is a good sign," he said.

Both BJP leaders claimed that the party will win the October 15 Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana and form its government there.

The Uttar Pradesh unit of BJP also accepted their defeat in the bypolls for 11 Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat in the state and state unit president Laxmi Kant Bajpai said he took responsibility for the defeat and will review the reasons behind the defeat. "It has taught us a lesson for the Vidhan Sabha polls," he said.