Fri Dec 13 03:01:10 UTC 2024: ## BJP Suffers Setback in Kerala By-Elections, Internal Strife Blamed
**Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala –** The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suffered a significant setback in the recent by-elections held in Kerala’s Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency and Palakkad and Chelakkara Assembly constituencies. Despite a surge in vote share during the 2024 general elections, the BJP failed to capitalize on its gains, highlighting internal divisions and organizational weaknesses.
In Wayanad, Congress candidate Priyanka Gandhi Vadra secured a resounding victory, defeating BJP’s Navya Haridas by a substantial margin. Haridas’s vote count was nearly 40,000 less than what BJP state president K. Surendran achieved in the general elections. In Palakkad, the BJP came in second, significantly trailing the Congress winner, a result deemed particularly embarrassing for the party. While the Chelakkara by-election showed a slight improvement in BJP’s vote count compared to the 2021 Assembly polls, it wasn’t enough to offset the overall losses.
Analysts attribute the BJP’s poor performance to internal strife and flawed candidate selection. Infighting, evident in the recent defection of a disgruntled spokesperson to the Congress, and factionalism within the party, reportedly hindering the efforts of the RSS to restore harmony, are cited as major factors. The party’s choice of candidates, often based on RSS affiliation rather than broader appeal, is also criticized.
The article suggests the BJP needs to address these internal issues, improve candidate selection, and strengthen its organizational structure to improve its prospects in the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections. The party’s leadership is urged to learn from the success of Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi, whose consistent engagement with his constituency contributed to his win. The by-election results, the article concludes, serve as a crucial wake-up call for the BJP to recalibrate its strategy and focus on genuine local engagement.
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