BJP's Ayodhya defeat: Ram Mandir's shadow fails to secure victory
Just a kilometre away from the Government Inter College in Ayodhya, the designated counting center for the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, Laxmikant Tiwari sits in the nearly empty BJP election office. Surrounding him are a few despondent faces. Moments earlier, the BJP’s candidate, Lallu Singh, conceded defeat to Awadesh Prasad of the Samajwadi Party.
“We gave it our all, but the Ram Mandir's consecration didn’t translate into votes,” says Tiwari, the BJP’s counting agent for the seat.
Only four months after the Ram temple consecration – a cornerstone of the BJP's ideological platform and a major point of their election campaign – the party lost the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which includes Ayodhya. This defeat was particularly significant in an election where the BJP underperformed compared to exit polls and their own target of 370 seats.
“There were local issues at play. Many Ayodhya villagers were unhappy with land acquisitions around the temple and airport. Additionally, the BSP votes were transferred to the SP because Awadesh Prasad is a Dalit leader,” explains Tiwari.
Awadhesh Prasad, a nine-time MLA and a prominent Dalit figure in the SP, defeated Lallu Singh, who was seeking his third term, by a margin of 54,567 votes.
After his victory, Prasad told The Indian Express, “This is a historic win because our national president, Akhilesh Yadav, chose me for a general seat. People supported me beyond caste and community lines.”
The BJP’s defeat echoed concerns over unemployment, inflation, land acquisition issues, and talk of constitutional changes.
During the campaign, Lallu Singh had been among those who claimed the party needed 400 seats to "change the Constitution."
Outside the counting center, 27-year-old Vijay Yadav from Mitrasenpur village commented, “The MP shouldn’t have said that. The Constitution was a key issue that Awadesh Prasad addressed in his rallies.”
“The paper leak scandal was another major factor. I’m also a victim of this. Without a job, I’ve had to work with my father in our fields. People voted for change because our MP did nothing for us, except using the Ram Mandir and Ram Path to cover his failures,” Yadav adds.
Outside the BJP office, Arvind Tiwari, a self-identified BJP supporter, notes that while the grandeur of the Ram Mandir impressed outsiders, local residents were unhappy with the disruptions. “Few Ayodhya residents visit the temple; most devotees are outsiders. We revere Ram, but we need to survive. During the Ram Path construction, locals were promised shops, which didn’t happen,” he says.
SP’s winning candidate, Prasad, outlined his plans for Ayodhya, saying, “Many have been displaced by the BJP government’s road widening projects near the temple. I’ll work to resettle them and ensure proper compensation for those whose lands were taken.”
Mohd. Israel Ghosi, who runs a tent house, remarked on the strong anti-incumbency sentiment against Lallu Singh. “He did nothing for Ayodhya’s people. The BJP focused on outsiders. Additionally, Singh’s comment about needing 400 seats to change the Constitution angered many. He thought he was invincible, but democracy proved otherwise,” says Ghosi.
Following the Samajwadi Party’s victory, spokesperson Pawan Pandey stated, “The BJP misled people using the Ram Mandir. They exploited Ram’s name for business, and Lord Ram punished them by ousting them.”
Addressing BJP workers at the Ayodhya election office, Lallu Singh admitted defeat, saying, “I failed to uphold Ayodhya’s honour. There might be faults within me. I will reflect on why this happened despite the leadership of Modi and Yogi.”
The day before the results, Iqbal Ansari, a former litigant in the Babri Masjid demolition case, expressed hope that the issue wouldn’t be repeatedly brought up. “This is Ayodhya, a land of dharma, not adharma,” he said.
