Dhupguri by-election: Jalpaiguri BJP to look into reasons for defeat

Jalpaiguri: The BJP has resolved to conduct a thorough analysis to find out the reasons for their defeat in the Dhupguri by-election. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) won this seat by a margin of 4,309 votes on Friday.

The review will encompass booths with lower vote counts along with an evaluation of the party’s overall performance. The aim is to rectify any shortcomings ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

District BJP leaders have acknowledged that by-elections typically favour the ruling party. However, they are committed to identifying the reasons for reduced vote share and addressing them.

Notably, in the 2021 Dhupaguri Assembly polls, the BJP had triumphed over TMC winning by a margin of 4,435 votes. Statistics of that election revealed that the BJP had a lead of over 5,000 votes across 58 booths in the Banarhat area alone. Additionally, they led in booths situated in Dhupaguri city.

However, in the recent bypolls, BJP trailed in the Banarhat area. They claimed that they got over 3,000 votes less than the last Assembly election. This entire issue will undergo a comprehensive review.

District BJP Secretary Shyam Prasad said: “Typically, the ruling party tends to win bypolls. Nevertheless, the party will investigate the reasons behind the lower vote counts. We also plan to engage with local residents for their insights.”

Prasad added: “The declaration of Dhupguri as a separate subdivision played a significant role in this election. People were aware that a TMC victory would likely result in the creation of a separate subdivision. This influenced the vote distribution. However, it’s important to recognise that Lok Sabha polls are a different ball game altogether.”

Political observers also attribute infighting within the BJP camp to the defeat.