By-elections of India

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Minor blow for the fledgling Modi government in the latest by-elections.

Included were 11 assembly seats in UP, 9 in Gujarat and 4 in Rajasthan; all belonging to the BJP or its allies.

In Uttar Pradesh, helped by the decision for the BSP not to run, the Samajwadi Party swept seven of the seats. This seems very irritating for the BJP, and mau be related to the BJP playing with sectarian anti-Muslim smears during the campaign (some things never change).

The INC took 3 seats apiece in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

The BJP did make a surprise entry entry into the West Bengal assembly, which has never been exactly fertile ground for them; they also retained one federal seat which Modi won in the general, having been elected to two different constituencies simultaneously (?).