'Clearly, The Winner Is I.N.D.I.A': Congress Claims Oppn Bloc As BJP's Alternative After '4:3' Victory In Bypolls

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said the news of the day is not the arrival of G20 leaders for the Summit but the "overall result of the seven by-elections that were announced today".

The Congress party interpreted the victory of four I.N.D.I.A bloc candidates in recent byelections as a sign that people see the opposition alliance as a viable alternative to the ruling BJP on Friday (September 8). P Chidambaram, a senior Congress leader, emphasised that the overall outcome of the seven by-elections was significant, with the "I.N.D.I.A bloc winning by a 4:3 ratio over the BJP".

In a post on X, he said: "The news of the day is not the arrival of G20 leaders for the Summit but the overall result of the seven by-elections that were announced today".

While the BJP secured victories in two seats in Tripura and one seat in Uttarakhand, they faced losses in Kerala, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Notably, the BJP governs Uttar Pradesh with a substantial majority.

Chidambaram said that the results indicate that the BJP, despite its influence and financial resources, can be defeated even in its strongholds. 

Pramod Tiwari, Congress deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, hailed the "bumper" victory of Samajwadi Party candidate Sudhakar Singh in Ghosi, suggesting that I.N.D.I.A bloc candidates are likely to secure a majority across regions in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Tiwari asserted that this victory signifies the triumph of 'I.N.D.I.A' and will motivate those who were previously uncertain to support the alliance, aiming to preserve the country's democracy and counter dictatorship.

"This victory is the victory of ''I.N.D.I.A' and those who were in doubt till now will become determined, and will give their everything to make ''I.N.D.I.A' win and will save the country's democracy and defeat dictatorship," he said in a statement, as reported by PTI.

The recent assembly by-election results in six states provided mixed outcomes, with the BJP securing three seats, and the Congress, JMM, TMC, and Samajwadi Party each winning one seat. While the BJP retained seats in Uttarakhand and Tripura, they lost one in West Bengal.

Tiwari concluded that the results demonstrate public dissatisfaction with the BJP and a growing interest in the ''I.N.D.I.A' alliance as a potential alternative. Additionally, he suggested that the BJP has been "uprooted" in various regions based on other election outcomes.