Why East India remains a challenge for the BJP
The Hindutva party has seen changing fortunes in West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand but it could face an uphill battle in chasing more seats.
The eastern states of Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand, with 96 Lok Sabha seats collectively, are significant for any national party seeking victory in the general elections, individually or in an alliance.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s influence in these three states has increased since 2009 when it won 41 seats to 45 in 2014. In 2019, the party won 61 seats, powered by inroads in West Bengal where it picked up 18 seats, taking the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance past 300 seats.
But the BJP may not find it so easy to translate its gains into electoral success. Voters approach national and state elections differently. At the same time, the political landscape in the three states has seen immense flux.
Seeking to win a record third term in 2024, with ambitions of crossing 400 seats, the Hindutva party will have to hold on to its gains, especially in these three states, over the past few years.
2019 election
During the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the BJP and its allies were in power in both Jharkhand and Bihar, which may have contributed to their success in these states. Administrative control in the state can work to the advantage of the ruling party, like in the case of rolling out welfare schemes...
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