Overconfidence hurt BJP’s hopes in Lok Sabha election: Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow: Overconfidence backlashed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s projected hopes in the recent Lok Sabha election, Yogi Adityanath said, addressing the BJP State Working Committee meeting at Bhimrao Ambedkar Auditorium of Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University in Lucknow.

Adityanath stated that "opposition parties and foreigners successfully used social media to conspire against” his party, according to The Hindu. “The BJP workers must monitor social media, counter rumours immediately, and highlight the party’s respect for scheduled caste leaders,” he said.

According to Adityanath, the BJP had maintained “constant pressure” on the opposition under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said this helped the party achieve success in the state during the general and Assembly elections since 2014.

“The BJP managed to secure a similar percentage of votes in 2024 as in previous elections,” he said, The Hindu reported. “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.”

Adityanath also said that the BJP did not have to “go on the backfoot” as it had done good work, PTI reported. He also criticised the opposition for dividing society along caste lines ahead of the general elections.

His remarks came a day after the Congress won four out of 13 Assembly seats in seven states where bye-elections were held. The BJP, on the other hand, won two seats. The Election Commission is yet to set a date for the Assembly by-elections in Uttar Pradesh.

In Sunday’s meeting, state BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary expressed confidence that the party would win all 10 seats in the bye-polls in Uttar Pradesh, reported The Indian Express.