The Ayodhya Upset: Why the BJP Failed to Hold Ground

Why did the BJP lose in Ayodhya?

This was the question in my mind when I reached Ayodhya. It has been more than 50 days since the 2024 Lok Sabha election results; the summer has passed, and the monsoon has arrived.

When humidity rises, the clouds that carefully hold water eventually burst. Similarly, a woman who came from Assam to visit the Ram Temple could not contain her emotions the moment she saw our camera and microphone.

"Modi Ji has done very well in Ayodhya. But he didn't get the votes, so my heart is heavy."

This woman had come with her family, relatives, and friends to see the new temple built at Lord Ram's birthplace, but she began discussing elections and votes. This highlights the profound impact of the election results in Ayodhya (Faizabad Lok Sabha seat). While June may feel like a distant memory in other parts of the country, a part of Ayodhya's psyche remains frozen in June 4, 2024.

Why did BJP's Lallu Singh lose?

For those who may have forgotten, it is important to mention that the results of the 18th Lok Sabha elections were announced on June 4, and Awadhesh Prasad, the Samajwadi Party candidate, emerged victorious on the Faizabad seat.

He defeated BJP's Lallu Singh by approximately 54,000 votes. Ayodhya is a part of this Lok Sabha constituency. For the past seven months, Ayodhya has been a "hot destination." Visitors from outside are stunned by the election results. Some are coming here solely to understand the reason behind the BJP's defeat.

Iqbal Ansari was a litigant in the Babri Masjid case. He lives near the Ram Temple. Ansari says, "Why did the BJP lose in Ayodhya? Many people are looking for the answer—the government is looking, the public is looking. Many people come and go asking this."

Ansari further adds, "Why did the BJP lose from Ayodhya? One should ask the residents of Ayodhya why they didn't vote for the BJP."

Why were the voters upset with the BJP?

Residents of Ayodhya speak their minds openly. We met Anil Ahuja at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk. He says, "There was resentment among some people because houses were demolished. That was the pain. Some received less compensation. People are in a bit of distress."

Near the Birla Temple is the RBS Hotel. Its employee, Shatrughan Ji, was my local guide and is also an Ayodhya voter. He narrated a story from a wedding two months ago.

The hotel where Shatrughan Ji works is near the bride's in-laws' house. Due to traffic control measures near the Ram Temple, the bride's car was not allowed to reach the house. Forget the wedding guests; even the bride and groom had to walk a long distance to reach home.

Shatrughan says, "If we have to go 1 kilometer, we have to take a 10-kilometer detour. Because of this, they lost."

Investigating the Defeat

If you think these two reasons alone scripted the BJP's defeat, wait a moment. You should look at the assessment of other characters in Ayodhya.

Anand Tripathi is a grassroots journalist who has his finger on the pulse of Ayodhya. He also knows the significance of Ayodhya for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Tripathi says, "A very intense study is going on regarding the mood of both the candidate and the public here. The reason is such massive development—projects worth ₹38,000 crore were underway in Ayodhya. Yogi Adityanath was monitoring it, and Modi Ji was monitoring it."

Even those who cannot fathom a sum as large as ₹38,000 crore are seeing the story of development. Tourists say, "Those who are seeing the development in Ayodhya find it very good. We are very happy with the facilities provided to the visitors."

Anil Ahuja adds, "Many good things have happened after the temple was built; people have found much joy. The city has become beautiful. People like it."

Was the officials' attitude a reason for the loss?

Iqbal Ansari lists the development works: "Helicopters have started running in Ayodhya, airplanes are flying, and cruises are operating in the Saryu. An airport was built, the railway station was built—many changes have come."

While discussing development, Iqbal mentions a specific "green curtain." He says, "Yogi Ji kept working, but at the lower level, some people worked in a way that made the public angry. Yogi Ji used to visit every 15 days or a month, but where there were shortcomings, people (officials) would put up green curtains. Everyone did good work, but the public did not like the work of the officials at the lower level."

BJP leaders also have complaints against the officials. There is a claim that officials severely dented the morale of BJP workers.

BJP leader Parmanand Mishra complains, "The morale of the workers went down. Having to plead before officials, officials not listening—workers became disappointed and dejected over various small things. There was a lack of communication. Because of this, our people could not take their appeal to the public."

Can't mix Religion and Politics in Ayodhya?

It is also important to understand that when the Ayodhya seat was at stake, the BJP wasn't relying solely on development. The Lok Sabha elections were held right after the Pran Pratishtha (consecration) of Ram Lalla, and the effort was to make the entire country's election 'Ram-centric.'

Iqbal Ansari speaks on this in detail: "Prosperity came to Ayodhya, and Lord Ram also arrived. People even proclaimed, 'We have brought Ram.' Lord Ram was already there; everyone has faith. Even the winner (SP's Awadhesh Prasad) has faith in Lord Ram. This is the land of Ayodhya; here, people do politics in a political way and follow religion in a religious way."

This is a significant point—how did the BJP fail to understand this?

Samajwadi Party's Masterstroke!

About three decades ago, the BJP raised the Ayodhya issue as a counter to the 'Mandal' issue. In 2024, it seemed difficult to imagine that 'Mandal' would heavy over 'Kamandal' in Ayodhya itself. The Samajwadi Party took a gamble on a Dalit candidate for a general seat and turned the tide. The role of the BJP candidate's statement about "changing the Constitution" is also being seen as a factor.

Parmanand Mishra says, "Due to this, the traditional Dalit and Backward Class voters of the BJP drifted away. What Lallu Singh said became the turning point. The opposition highlighted it so much that the minority community and others came under pressure and diverted. Brahmins and Thakurs are considered the core voters of the BJP, but due to schemes in the Modi regime, the poor vote bank had transferred to the BJP. This time, the talk of 'ending the Constitution and Reservation' settled in their minds."

Both Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav claim that Ayodhya has sent a message to the BJP.

Local journalists and political analysts claim, "The opposition's Muslim vote bank used to be divided earlier (between Congress, SP, and AAP), but this time, due to the alliance, it all collected in one place."

By forming an alliance with Congress, the Samajwadi Party prevented vote splitting and directly dented the BJP's vote bank by fielding a candidate from the Pasi community. There are about 1.5 lakh voters from this community here.

What was Lallu Singh's role?

And when discussing the defeat, how can we not talk about the person who directly bore the brunt of this shock?

Journalist Anand Tripathi says, "The mistake Lallu Singh made was that he didn't complete the formalities. This time (during the campaign), he didn't go to meet anyone; the campaigning remained superficial. In the overconfidence that 'Ayodhya is our seat anyway,' he lost the election."

Overconfidence—this is a word you will hear repeatedly from BJP leaders nursing the wound of defeat in Ayodhya.

BJP leaders claim—the workers assumed we were winning and couldn't put in as much work. While BJP leaders in Faizabad and Ayodhya talk about low morale on one hand, they cite overconfidence as the reason on the other.

Could Amit Shah not sense the direction of the wind?

Ayodhya's journalists don't find this strange. It is claimed that before the campaigning ended, Lallu Singh urged Amit Shah to come to Ayodhya, but Amit Shah was so confident that he said—"You are winning anyway; win and come meet me in Delhi."

The BJP holds 4 out of 5 assembly seats in Faizabad, yet they lost. An atmosphere of victory was created even before the victory was achieved.

Anand Tripathi claims, "They were deceived by the pursuit of '400 Paar' (Crossing 400 seats). Even the core voters perhaps didn't go to vote thinking that the BJP is coming anyway, who can stop them."

Side effects are also visible after the BJP's defeat. Some shopkeepers say earnings have decreased; since Modi lost, the number of people coming to Ayodhya has dropped.

However, some call this far from the truth. They say the crowd is thin due to the heat, and the defeat has nothing to do with it.

There is one truth of Ayodhya, and another of its voters who were heavily trolled on social media.

BJP leader Parmanand Mishra says, "It is not at all right to blame Ayodhya for the sacrifice and dedication it has shown."

In politics, no victory or defeat is final, but the discussion of this election result will continue on the soil of Ayodhya until the next electoral battle.