Results in some places not according to expectations: BJP

Says people voted on local issues, should not be seen in national perspective

Facing reverses in some seats in the Assembly bypolls, the BJP today said the results in some places were not according to its expectations and people voted on local issues.

"We have won in many places and at some places, the results have been not up to our expectations... These by-polls have been fought over local issues and in places where the state governments have full majority," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said here.

Putting up a brave face, he said there was good news also for the party as "the lotus has blossomed in West Bengal."

Hussain said the by-poll results should not be seen in the national or state perspective as the elections have been fought by the party over local issues.

Asked to comment on party's prospects in the coming Haryana and Maharashtra elections, he said the BJP will win those elections as they are being held for forming new governments to run these states.

Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Maharashtra and Haryana next month.

BJP suffered a jolt in Rajasthan, winning just one of the four seats and was losing ground in Uttar Pradesh where Samajwadi Party (SP) was ahead during the counting of the bypoll results.

In Gujarat, ruling BJP could retain only six of the nine seats while Congress bagged two and was ahead in one. All the nine seats were earlier held by BJP and were vacated after their sitting MLAs were elected as MPs.

The BJP, however, had a reason to smile in West Bengal where it made its debut in the state Assembly on its own by winning the Basirhat Dakshin seat. The bypolls for 33 seats spread over 10 states were held on September 13.