Results for: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has faced internal criticism following its failure to secure any seats in recent Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu. Disgruntled party leaders have openly criticized the election strategies adopted by state party president K. Annamalai. Despite assurances from Annamalai, discontent within the party ranks remains palpable, with some members questioning the party’s performance and vote share. The party’s vote share has reportedly decreased when compared to previous elections, despite fielding more candidates. Losing deposits in 11 seats out of 23 has also raised concerns. The situation has forced party leaders to address these concerns, with Annamalai attempting to downplay the issue. However, the overall mood within the BJP remains one of disappointment and introspection.

According to exit polls conducted on June 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP-led NDA alliance is projected to retain power with a significant majority in the Lok Sabha elections. The alliance is expected to make gains in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, while it may lose some seats in Bihar, Rajasthan, and Haryana. Various exit polls forecast the NDA winning between 353 and 401 seats, and the opposition INDIA bloc securing between 109 and 169 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

In the third phase of India’s Lok Sabha elections, a significant number of candidates have self-declared criminal cases against themselves. Of the 695 candidates analyzed, 159 (or 23%) have criminal records, with 122 facing serious criminal charges. Major national parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress (INC), have over 40% of their candidates with criminal backgrounds. Moreover, a large majority of contesting candidates from major parties, including independent candidates, possess assets worth over 1 crore (crorepati status), with the median assets of BJP candidates being the highest among national parties. Despite these findings, over a fifth of the constituencies have no female candidates contesting the elections.

The rapid rise of social media, particularly in vernacular languages, has had a profound impact on how information is disseminated in India. This shift towards instant gratification and concise content has led to the emergence of viral content that can quickly shape and propagate political narratives. This has necessitated vigilance to manage disruptive misinformation. In India, the BJP has been a pioneer in leveraging social media to gain a significant advantage, but the Opposition is now making a concerted effort to catch up. This ‘inversion’ of roles, where independent content creators set the narrative and political parties amplify it, is making it more difficult to analyze political headwinds. The party that can bring a semblance of control over this social media tumult will reap significant benefits, but who will emerge victorious remains uncertain.

The Bhongir Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana witnesses a multi-cornered contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)). Former MPs Komatireddy brothers have joined BJP, while BRS fields Kyama Mallesh and CPI(M) nominates Mahamd Jahangir. Despite CPI(M)’s alliance with Congress in other seats, it contests alone in Bhongir, targeting votes in five assembly segments. The constituency faces issues such as pollution of Musi river, delayed development projects, and industries.

Piyush Goyal, a veteran politician and Union Minister with a diverse portfolio, is set to contest the Lok Sabha election 2024 from the Mumbai North seat. He is confident of a victory for the BJP in Maharashtra and eager to connect with the people directly as an MP. Goyal believes his experience in various roles will enable him to better understand and address the issues faced by the constituency. He also dismisses concerns about moving to New Delhi after being elected, emphasizing his commitment to staying connected and working for the development of North Mumbai.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered X, formerly Twitter, to take down an animated video posted by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Karnataka unit. The video features caricatures of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging that the party is diverting funds and resources away from SC/ST/OBC Hindus towards Muslims. The video had garnered over 90 lakh views as of May 7 and had not yet been removed.

Fresh allegations have surfaced in West Bengal, fueling the political rivalry between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). The TMC has accused the BJP of fabricating the Sandeshkhali incident, a case involving alleged atrocities against women in a village, to discredit the TMC ahead of the Lok Sabha election. The TMC released a video allegedly featuring Gangadhar Koyal, the BJP Mandal President, in which he claims to have acted on the instructions of Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari to manipulate the situation and implicate TMC members. The CBI is currently investigating the case, which has brought into focus the alleged exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali. Meanwhile, the BJP has dismissed the video as a fake and has filed a complaint with the CBI, alleging that artificial intelligence was used to manipulate Koyal’s voice. BJP leader Adhikari has also defended himself, stating that he has always stood for truth and will continue to do so.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party during his second day of campaigning in Jharkhand, accusing the opposition party of weakness and corruption. Emphasizing the need for a strong leader and government, Modi contrasted his government’s actions against terrorism with the alleged inaction of the previous Congress regime. He also lashed out at the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and its alliance partner Congress, accusing them of amassing wealth through illicit means.

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has dismissed criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J. P. Nadda and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying their attacks will have no impact on the electoral outcome in Odisha. BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra dismissed Gandhi’s visit to the state, saying it will not affect the Congress’s electoral fortunes. The party also criticized Nadda’s inclusion of charge-sheeted criminal Pradeep Panigrahi in BJP’s campaign, expressing shock and dismay at the move.