NEW DELHI: BJP’s surprise loss in Ayodhya was due to neglect of local issues and workers’ discontent.
The Ayodhya Lok Sabha result surprised everyone as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost the seat to the Samajwadi Party (SP). This outcome was unexpected because Ayodhya holds significant symbolic importance for the BJP – being closely associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative of the construction of the Ram Temple amidst a legal dispute – a major political and cultural milestone for the party. Consequently, the question arises as to why the BJP lost Ayodhya. To uncover the ground reality, the central leadership sent state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary to Ayodhya.
Earlier this week, Chaudhary visited Ayodhya and toured all five assembly constituencies, holding several meetings with various local officials and leaders. He also met with public representatives and party workers, assuring them that their concerns would be communicated to the top leadership.
An insider told The Sunday Guardian that during a meeting of the Ayodhya assembly at the circuit house, BJP candidate Lallu Singh had an argument with a local leader who pointed out Singh’s shortcomings.
“The local leader mentioned in the meeting that Lallu Singh rarely ventured outside the city to visit the villages, and when he did, it was only to meet his close associates. These remarks led to a heated argument between Lallu Singh and the local leader,” said the source.
Local leaders raised various issues during the meeting. One leader remarked that those who lost their lands frequently visited Lallu Singh, but he did not deem it appropriate to meet with them. This neglect created significant anger towards Lallu Singh among the affected people.
A local leader, speaking to The Sunday Guardian on condition of anonymity, said that despite providing information about “weak areas”, both the candidate and the organisation ignored these concerns. The input from public representatives with local influence was also disregarded. He added that, in this election the party leadership sidelined the veteran workers, causing anger among them. As a result, these workers did not engage with voters, leading to an outcome that surprised everyone.
State President Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, while addressing the media, stated that the BJP top leadership has dispatched a team of two senior officials to investigate the reasons for the defeat in all the lost Lok Sabha seats. He added that the public has given a mandate for the NDA to form the government for the third time under Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Aditya Rathi, a political analyst, told The Sunday Guardian, “Lallu Singh’s electoral success in Ayodhya city was solely attributed to the popularity of Modi and Yogi.”
Rathi noted that Singh’s popularity had started waning since 2012. He emphasised that Singh’s victories in 2014 and 2019 were propelled by the Modi wave and Yogi’s commitment to Ayodhya, respectively. However, in 2024, Singh faced a resounding defeat due to his apathy and unfounded statements.
Rathi highlighted that Singh neglected grassroots workers and their concerns despite the Ram Mandir construction and that led to discontent.
He added public discontent over the manner in which land was acquired for Ayodhya’s development, specifically citing the widening of the road from the new ghat to the Ram Temple.
“The process involved demolishing homes and shops on both sides of the road, affecting long-established residents whose lands were acquired. The BJP’s overconfidence in their electoral prospects prevented them from recognising the resentment among local residents, ultimately leading to their defeat in Ayodhya,” said Rathi.