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BJP gets a battering in by-polls, shot in the arm for opposition

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8 years ago

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BJP gets a battering in by-polls, shot in the arm for opposition

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The saffron surge in India failed to sweep up the three Lok Sabha seats, including Gorakhpur which has been with Hindutva brigade since 1989, in the keenly watched by-elections held this month.

Seen as a set-back to both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the election results are also a boost to the opposition parties still trying to find ways to get together and defeat the BJP.

The by-polls were held in two of the numerically significant states in India politics, UP and Bihar. The BJP has major stakes in both.

In UP, the elections were held for Gorakhpur and Phulpur seats of Uttar Pradesh which were vacated by Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya after their entry into the Assembly in April, 2017.

Both seats were a status fight for the BJP. Gorakhpur has been held by Yogi Adityanath since 1998 – he was the youngest MP at 26 – and three times before that by his mentor Advaidyanath. Phulpur is an extremely prominent Lok Sabha seat that the BJP had wrested only in 2014. It has been represented by Jawaharlal Nehru, his sister Vijayalakshmi Pandit and also former Prime Minister VP Singh.

In Bihar, election to Araria parliamentary seat, that fell vacant after the death of RJD MP Mohd Taslimuddin, was seen as a test for the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U)-BJP combine formed after the former unceremoniously dumped the grand alliance with RJD and Congress which had been voted to power in last Assembly polls. Prognosis of many commentators then was that Nitish Kumar had sealed his fate, that it was the beginning of his end.

It wasn’t as if the BJP didn’t work hard. Adityanath held around one-and-a-half dozen rallies in Gorakhpur, a seat he held for over 18 years. He drew attention to the importance of government performance which the public could see: he has got the state assembly and other buildings, rural road signs and buses painted saffron, said that Taj Mahal doesn’t signify Indian culture, set up anti-romeo squads, visited temples regularly, made arrangements for Hindu pilgrims, and generally talked about Hindutva issues. He also relieved the police of the problem of going through the tedious process of investigating and gathering evidence to bring the criminals to book. Encounter killings were the way out advocated by his government.

However, other, ‘local’ issues as he put it, seem to have dominated. Lack of avenues for productive employment could be one. Harassment – ‘dadagiri’ – by his followers may have added to it. Besides, the low turnout  in both Phulpur (37.3%) and Gorakhpur (43%) seats raises the possibility that BJP’s smug voter base didn’t bother to venture out unlike that section of the electorate who are opposed to the BJP.

As it happened, Samajwadi Party (SP) defeated BJP in both Phulpur and Gorakhpur. Samajwadi Party’s Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel won Phulpur Lok Sabha seat by 59,613 votes.

In Bihar, the RJD candidate Sarfaraz Alam won the Araria Lok Sabha seat. The party also won the Jehanabad bypoll. Both, Araria Lok Sabha seat and Jehanabad Assembly seat were held by RJD. The BJP has retained Bhabua Assembly seat.

Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai said, “Bihar has given sympathy vote this time. I’d like to thank all those who’ve supported us. We welcome the mandate of people. We will certainly win the elections of 2019 under the leadership of PM Modi & BJP President Amit Shah.”

In UP, the elections and the results were significant in many ways. SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) came together this time to stop the BJP, the first time after 1992, when they had joined hands to take charge of the state after the sacking of BJP’s Kalyan Singh in the aftermath of the Babri demolition. This political experiment has yielded dividends.

The BSP, which did not field candidates in Gorakhpur and Phulpur, supported the Samajwadi candidates, with Mayawati deploying her workers to seek votes for them. In return the Samajwadi Party will support the BSP in Rajya Sabha elections in UP later this month.

For UP CM Adityanath, the results signify a huge upset. Gorakhpur has voted saffron since 1989, voting for the head of the Gorakhnath matt every time: electing Yogi Adityanath’s mentor Mahant Avedyanath thrice and then Yogi Adityanath for five straight terms.

Adityanath was the face of the BJP’s campaign for the by-elections to the two VVIP seats. He described the by-elections as a dress rehearsal for the general election next year, telling NDTV, “Our victory margins will be as big as in 2014.”

The BJP’s UP leaders said they were taken by surprise. “Gorakhpur has always been a stronghold. Where we went wrong and how we can counter the SP, BSP combine, we will figure it out,” Keshav Prasad Maurya said.

“It is obviously not a satisfactory result. But one thing is certain that the SP was about to lose and the BSP’s support helped it. We have to adapt our strategy now,” UP Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh said.

We accept the verdict of the people, this result is unexpected, we will review the shortcomings. I congratulate the winning candidates: UP CM Yogi Adityanath[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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PM Modi pays tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Sadaiv Atal, says leadership is defined by conduct

PM Modi paid tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Sadaiv Atal, saying true leadership is defined by conduct and values, not by position.

Published

17 hours ago

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December 25, 2025

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PM Modi pays tribute to Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Sadaiv Atal, says leadership is defined by conduct

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid floral tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the ‘Sadaiv Atal’ memorial in New Delhi on the occasion of his 101st birth anniversary. Remembering Vajpayee’s legacy, the Prime Minister said that true leadership is not established by position, but by conduct.

Several dignitaries were present at the memorial to pay homage to the former Prime Minister, who remains one of the most respected figures in Indian politics.

PM Modi remembers Vajpayee’s conduct and values

In a message shared on social media platform X, Prime Minister Modi described Atal Bihari Vajpayee as a statesman whose behaviour, dignity and unwavering commitment to national interest set a benchmark for Indian politics. He said Vajpayee’s life continues to inspire the nation and highlights that leadership is determined by character rather than authority.

The Prime Minister also shared a Sanskrit verse, noting that the actions of great leaders guide society, and said this principle was clearly reflected throughout Vajpayee’s public life.

‘Nation always came first for Atal ji’

Prime Minister Modi further said that Vajpayee’s birth anniversary is an opportunity for everyone to draw inspiration from his life. He highlighted Vajpayee’s conduct, grace, ideological firmness and resolve to place the nation’s interest above all else as an ideal standard for public life.

Through his life and work, Vajpayee demonstrated that excellence and greatness are shaped by values and conduct, not merely by holding office, the Prime Minister said. The remarks were shared with inputs from media.

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India News

Cried over Gaza, not a word on Bangladesh: Yogi Adityanath attacks opposition in UP Assembly

Yogi Adityanath criticised the opposition in the UP Assembly, accusing them of selective outrage over Gaza while remaining silent on violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.

Published

17 hours ago

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December 25, 2025

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Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Opposition during proceedings in the State Assembly, accusing rival parties of indulging in selective outrage and appeasement politics while remaining silent on incidents involving Hindus in neighbouring countries, particularly Bangladesh.

Referring to recent incidents across the border, the Chief Minister said the Opposition raises its voice on international issues selectively but avoids speaking out when minorities, especially Hindus, are targeted in nearby nations.

“You shed tears over developments in Gaza, but not a single word comes out when a Dalit youth is killed in Bangladesh,” Adityanath said in the Assembly, alleging that such silence exposes the Opposition’s political priorities.

The Chief Minister further claimed that incidents of violence against Hindus would not have occurred had Pakistan and Bangladesh not been created, reiterating that issues are often viewed through the prism of vote bank politics. He said candle marches are organised for global events, but killings of Hindus in Pakistan or Bangladesh do not evoke similar responses.

Adityanath also called for a condemnation resolution in the Assembly, stating that it should ideally come from the Leader of the Opposition. He said such a resolution should clearly condemn the killing and convey a warning to the Bangladesh government.

Allegations over illegal immigration

Targeting the Opposition on the issue of illegal immigration, the Chief Minister alleged that they support Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas. He claimed that when authorities take action to expel illegal immigrants, Opposition leaders come out in their defence, alleging that many of them have been facilitated with voter registrations and Aadhaar cards.

Meanwhile, tensions between India and Bangladesh have been visible following recent developments. India summoned the Bangladesh High Commissioner for the second time in a week amid concerns arising from incidents in the neighbouring country.

The summons came in the backdrop of protests in Bangladesh following the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi and the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in separate incidents. Dipu Das, a 27-year-old youth from Mymensingh district, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy on December 18, and his body was later set on fire, triggering widespread outrage.

The Interim Government of Bangladesh condemned the incident. Education Adviser C R Abrar visited the bereaved family on behalf of the government, expressed condolences, and assured them of financial and welfare assistance. The Office of the Chief Adviser also reiterated its resolve to protect all citizens and ensure justice in the case.

The killing has once again raised concerns at the international level over the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, with minority groups demanding strict action against those responsible.

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India News

Christmas 2025 wishes for WhatsApp and Instagram status to share joy and warmth

From faith and kindness to love and joy, here are simple Christmas 2025 wishes you can use as WhatsApp and Instagram status messages.

Published

18 hours ago

on

December 25, 2025

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Merry christmas

As Christmas 2025 is being celebrated across the world, people are marking the occasion by sharing warm messages with family, friends and loved ones. The festival commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and is observed as a time of faith, kindness and togetherness. Along with prayers, gifts and festive meals, social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram have become popular spaces for expressing Christmas greetings.

Christmas is traditionally associated with reflecting God’s love through generosity and compassion, while also strengthening bonds with close ones. Many people choose short, meaningful lines as their social media status to capture the spirit of the day and convey goodwill.

Here is a curated list of loving Christmas 2025 wishes that can be used as WhatsApp or Instagram status messages on the joyful occasion:

  1. Merry Christmas! May your day be filled with love, laughter and your favourite moments.
  2. Wishing you a Christmas as bright and cheerful as your smile.
  3. May your heart be full of joy and your home be filled with love this Christmas.
  4. Sending warm Christmas wishes with a touch of festive magic.
  5. Merry Christmas! May peace and happiness surround you today.
  6. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Wishing you a Merry Christmas.
  7. May the spirit of Christmas bring love to your heart and warmth to your home.
  8. Wishing you a Christmas that is merry, bright and full of cheer.
  9. May your Christmas be rich with laughter, love and cherished traditions.
  10. Sending love, joy and the warmest Christmas wishes your way.
  11. Merry Christmas! Celebrate the day with family, friends and good food.
  12. Wishing you a Christmas filled with magic, wonder and joy.
  13. May the joy of Christmas stay with you throughout the year.
  14. Wishing you a Christmas as special as you are.
  15. Merry Christmas! Wishing happiness and good fortune always.

These short messages reflect the essence of Christmas 2025 and can be easily shared as status updates to spread positivity and festive warmth.

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