BJP plays down bypolls outcome

The BJP today played down the outcome of the bypolls, saying people do not vote for a prime minister or chief minister in such elections but are driven by local issues and asserted that the party will win 2019 general polls.

However, the party said it will analyse the cause of the defeat in one Lok Sabha seat each held by it in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra attacked the Congress saying it has been reduced to a peripheral player in national politics.

"As far as the Congress is concerned, though it has every rights to criticise in a democracy, the fact is the opposition party been reduced to a peripheral player in Indian politics today," he told reporters here.

Citing the case of UP where the BJP lost most of the bypolls before the state elections, Patra said despite that it emerged victorious with 325 seats in the Assembly polls.

"People do not elect their CM or PM in such elections. They vote on local issues but in national elections, when they have to chose their leader, the BJP will emerge as the front runner," he said.

The party spokesperson said that to become the prime minister, P' for performance and M' for 'mehnat' (hard work) are required, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has.

"Under the able leadership of Narendra Modi, who has practised politics of performance, the BJP will be victorious in 2019 getting more number of seats than what it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections," he said.