Lucknow: The result of the recently held UP Assembly elections is a lesson for the opposition parties which are not getting united to fight against BJP.
After the results, everyone is blaming AIMIM for the defeat of the Samajwadi party, however, another fact that is being ignored is the differences among opposition parties which are also equally responsible for the defeat.
How AIMIM responsible for SP candidates’ defeat?
On several seats especially in Muslim-dominated areas, AIMIM’s candidates have taken away votes that, if added to the SP-RLD combine, would have ensured the defeat of the BJP.
It is found that in Bijnor, SP-RLD got 95720 while AIMIM got 2290 votes. The BJP won the seat by getting 97165 votes.
In Nakur, the BJP polled 104114 votes while SP got 103799. AIMIM got 3593 votes that allowed BJP to take the seat. Similarly, in Kursi seat in Barabanki, the BJP polled 118720 votes while SP got 118503 and AIMIM got 8541 votes.
In Sultanpur, the BJP won with 92715 votes and SP got 91706. The AIMIM had sliced away 5251 votes. In Aurai assembly seat, the AIMIM took away 2190 votes allowing BJP to win with 93691 votes while the Samajwadi Party got 92044 votes.
In Shahganj, the Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal won with 87233 votes and SP trailed with 86514 votes. The AIMIM had taken away 8128 votes.
In Firozabad, the BJP reaches the victory stand with 112509 and Samajwadi Party got 79554 while AIMIM walked away with 18898 votes. Similarly, in the Moradabad Nagar seat, the BJP polled 148384 votes while SP got 147602 and AIMIM got 2661 votes
As per ECI data, Owaisi’s party can be held responsible for the defeat of SP-RLD candidates only on eight seats. However, the presence of Hyderabad MP’s party in the election has helped BJP in making the 80-20 formula successful in the entire state.
How opposition parties are responsible?
Although the AIMIM party is responsible for the consolidation of BJP’s vote bank, it is not the only reason for the defeat of SP in the election. Other factors are also equally responsible for the outcome of the election results.
In the elections, Bahujan Samaj Party contested 403 seats but managed to win only a single seat. In many seats, the votes polled by both SP and BSP candidates were more than the votes secured by BJP candidates.
The result of the elections would have been different had SP and BSP formed a pre-poll alliance.
The opposition parties along with AIMIM can learn a lesson from the UP poll results. Unity of opposition is the key to defeat BJP in the general elections likely to be held in 2024.
