Overconfidence hurt BJP’s expectations in 2024 polls, says Yogi Adityanath in key party meet

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that overconfidence kept the BJP from achieving the desired success in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. However, he expressed confidence in the ruling party’s victory in the 2027 Assembly polls.

“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji leadership, we maintained constant pressure on the Opposition and achieved desired success in Uttar Pradesh, be it 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls or 2017 and 2022 Vidhan Sabha. The BJP managed to secure a similar percentage of votes in 2024 as in previous elections. However, the shifting of votes and overconfidence hurt our expectations. As a result, the Opposition, which was decimated in the previous elections, is able to do chest-thumping today,” Mr. Adityanath said, addressing the BJP State Working Committee meeting at Bhimrao Ambedkar Auditorium of Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University in Lucknow.

Accusing the Opposition of dividing society along caste lines ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Chief Minister asked party leaders and workers to remain vigilant of such divisions. He also stressed the need to utilise social media platforms effectively.

“Opposition parties and foreigners successfully used social media to conspire against us. The BJP workers must monitor social media, counter rumours immediately, and highlight the party’s respect for Scheduled Caste (SC) leaders. In 2019, we defeated the largest alliance in U.P.,” Mr. Adityanath said, urging every worker from MP to Councilor to immediately start preparations for the Vidhan Sabha by-elections to 10 Assembly segments and the 2027 elections as well.

The working committee, meeting for the first time after the parliamentary poll results, was attended by BJP national president J.P. Nadda, several Union and State Ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, Lok Sabha candidates and block-level leaders.

BJP’s performance in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha election was a major dent to the party that had been banking on the most politically crucial State to cross the majority mark (272) in the Parliament. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) managed to win only 36 seats — BJP won 33, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) got two and Apna Dal (Sonelal) secured one. It was 29 short of its 2019 win of 62 Lok Sabha seats from the State, and 38 short of its 2014 win of 71 seats.

Mr. Nadda, in his address, targeted the Congress and pointed out that the grand old party could not surpass the BJP’s numbers even by combining the MPs it won in three elections. “In 13 States, Congress failed to win a single seat. In States like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, where Congress faced direct competition from the BJP on 64 seats, they won only two seats, while BJP secured 62,” he said.

He also highlighted the saffron party’s commitment to the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas”, adding that BJP’s strength was in nurturing dedicated workers as leaders.

Mr. Nadda accused the Congress of undermining the Constitution and democratic values. “Congress talked about the Constitution extensively in polls; it is essential to remind everyone who really undermined it. They (Congress) toppled elected governments 90 times. They talk about the Ram Temple but for the BJP, it’s not just an election issue but a matter of faith,” he added.

State BJP president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak also addressed the gathering.