What BJP gained—and regained—with the latest state results

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Following the conclusion of the second big cycle of state elections in 2024, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reclaimed some of the political ground it had ceded in the general election held earlier this year. Be it in states or at the Centre, be it by itself or with allies, the BJP has strengthened its hand and increased its leverage across the three broad sides of the Indian political spectrum: itself, the Congress party, and the wide variety of regional parties.

This year, the BJP won in Odisha for the first time, and even in Haryana where it was facing anti-incumbency and was not expected to win. Now it has won decisively in Maharashtra—where it had wrested power in 2019 although it didn’t have the numbers to form the state government by itself. The BJP's next test of strength will be in Delhi early next year and in Bihar in late 2025.

In Delhi, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been at odds with the office of the lieutenant governor, appointed by the Centre. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had to step down as chief minister after he was jailed for administrative decisions. Other senior AAP ministers have also done jail time.

And earlier this month, Kailash Gahlot, who was one of the AAP’s six ministers in Delhi and among its tallest leaders, crossed over to the BJP. In Bihar, the BJP was the driving force behind realignments among regional parties in January, paving the way for its return to power. Bihar has parallels with Maharashtra.

The BJP will be hoping for an outcome like Maharashtra, where it cedes ground to allies in the chaotic short term but emerges stronger once the dust has settled. The BJP has increased its states footprint over the past decade or so. The table below