Whether it was the recently concluded assembly bypolls or the panchayat elections, complacency and infighting marred BJP's winning prospects on both the occasions.
The State BJP may now derive some solace from the fact that there are no major political events in the State till assembly polls in 2017. But these consecutive defeats for the principal Opposition partyin the State have not gone down well among the rank and file of the party.
The party high command's airing its disappointment with the State party leadership soon after the bypolls only gives that impression.
The fact of the matter is that whereas the Congress was busy in strengthening its winning prospects in the Assembly bypolls, the state BJP was in two minds over selection of the candidates till late.
Taking advantage of uncertainty within the BJP, the Congress retaining the Dharchula assembly seat, managed to snatch both the Someshwar and Doiwala seats which was earlier with the BJP.
Apart from complacency, infighting within the State BJP seems to be one of the reasons that has led the party in a poor light. The fact of the matter is that party's defeat in the election of the Nainital Zila Panchayat president post had become certain when party's zila panchayat member from Kushumkhera Sumitra Prasadjoined the Congress party to fight the Nainital Zila Panchayat president post some time back. Now, Sumitra Prasad has won the Nainital Zila Panchayat president post by a single vote on Tuesday.
While the Congress candidate Sumitra Prasad bagged 16 votes, Neema Arya of the BJP had to satisfy with only 15 votes in this closely fought electoral battle for the Nainital Zila Panchayat president post held here on Tuesday.
Sumitra Prasad was brought to BJP only a few months back and she was given party ticket from Kushumkhera to become zila panchayat member. However, after winning the Kushumkhera zila panchayat member seat, when Sumitra Prasad demanded party ticket to contest the Nainital Zila Panchayat president post, her request was turned down by the BJP. She finally won the Nainital Zila Panchayat president post election on the Congress party ticket. Meanwhile, State Finance Minister and senior Congress leader Indira Hridayesh has congratulated Sumitra Prasad on her becoming president of the Nainital Zila Panchayat, describing her victory as a morale boosting experience for the Congress party workers.
"Her victory in this panchyat body polls would definitely help party to work for the people in a big way," added Hridayesh.