In recent years, several regional political parties across India have witnessed a noticeable decline in voter support and electoral performance after aligning or supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Parties such as the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), People's Democratic Party (PDP), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), and Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) have either lost significant ground in key electoral battles or experienced a steady erosion of public support. This shift highlights the challenges regional parties face when aligning with a dominant national force like the BJP, which often leads to their own base disillusionment.

JJP's Struggles in Haryana

The Jannayak Janata Party (JJP), founded by Dushyant Chautala, emerged as a key force in Haryana politics after securing 10 out of 90 seats in the 2019 Assembly elections. Representing Jat farmers, the JJP formed an alliance with the BJP, leading to Chautala’s appointment as Deputy Chief Minister under Manohar Lal Khattar. However, the alliance proved costly for the party, especially over its stance on the 2020 farm laws, which triggered widespread protests among Jat farmers. The JJP’s refusal to break ties with the BJP alienated its core voter base, reflected in a steep decline during the 2021 local elections, where the party lost influence in crucial districts.

In the 2024 Assembly elections, JJP’s downfall was stark. Its vote share plummeted from 14.8% in 2019 to less than 1%, and the party failed to secure any seats. Dushyant Chautala lost his own constituency, Uchana Kalan, by over 41,000 votes forfeiting his security deposit after polling only 7,950 votes. Similarly, his brother Digvijay Chautala was defeated in Dabwali by over 20,000 votes by INLD’s Aditya Chautala. This crushing defeat underscores the party’s diminishing support.

PDP’s Fall in Jammu and Kashmir

In the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the People's Democratic Party  (JKPDP known as PDP) emerged as a formidable force, securing 28 seats with a vote share of 22.8%. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) followed closely, winning 25 seats and a vote share of 23.9%. This alliance between the PDP and BJP, which resulted in PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed becoming Chief Minister, initially seemed like a strategic manoeuvre. However, the partnership soon faced criticism for compromising the PDP's core values and alienating its traditional voter base, particularly in the Kashmir Valley.

The repercussions of this alliance became increasingly apparent in subsequent elections. By 2024, the PDP's support had plummeted, winning only 3 seats and a reduced vote share of 8.8%. In stark contrast, the rival National Conference (JKNC known as NC) dominated the landscape with 42 seats. The loss of Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP chief and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, in their family stronghold of Bijbehara added further injury.

This decline followed the PDP's inability to secure any seats in the national elections, where it garnered a mere 8.45% of the votes, compared to the NC's 22.2%. Mehbooba Mufti suffered a significant defeat in the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, losing by 2.8 lakhs votes.

AIADMK's Electoral Slide in Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK, once a strong political party led by J. Jayalalithaa, experienced a significant decline after aligning with the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In 2014, the AIADMK won 37 out of 39 seats, but its partnership with the BJP in 2019 resulted in a poor performance, securing only one seat. 

Although internal divisions within the AIADMK contributed to its weakening, the alliance with the BJP—seen as an outsider in Tamil Nadu politics—cost the party a large part of its Dravidian support. The AIADMK's struggles continued in the 2021 state assembly elections when it lost power to the DMK, further damaging its political standing.

YSR and BJD 

Although neither the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) nor the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has ever been an official ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), both regional parties have consistently offered their support whenever the BJP needed assistance

PM Modi Himself acknowledged it when asked about the clarification on the slogan of the Ab kee beer 400 par. PM Said -

“Just count the number of sitting MPs we have. When we emerged victorious in 2019, we had approximately 359 Members of Parliament. Political parties from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha consistently supported us. This amounts to approximately 35 Members of Parliament. Additionally, Members of Parliament from the Northeast are aligned with us. Therefore, in practical terms, the NDA+ already had a strength of around 400. Our strength in the Parliament was already 400,"

It's important to note that the BJD has 12 MPs and the YSRCP has 23 MPs in the 17th Lok Sabha , giving a combined total of 35 representatives from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) supported the BJP on several key issues, including the Article 370 amendment bill, the Delhi Public Service bill, and the farm bills. Similarly, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) backed the BJP on the Delhi Public Service bill and opposed the no-confidence motion. Despite their consistent support, neither the YSRCP nor the BJD has gained political advantages; instead, both have faced significant electoral setbacks. The recent alliance between the BJP, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and the Janasena Party (JSP) has left Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP in a precarious position, with its seats in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly dropping from a historic 151 in 2019 to just 11 in 2024.

Similarly, in the 2019 Odisha Assembly elections, the BJD won 112 out of 147 seats, securing a strong majority. However, in the 2024 elections, the party faced considerable challenges, resulting in a drop to just 51 seats, highlighting a major decline in its electoral strength. Following these losses, Naveen Patnaik declared, "No More Support to BJP, Only Opposition," signalling a significant shift in the BJD’s stance.

Conclusion: The Perils of Aligning with BJP

The decline in support for parties like JJP, PDP, AIADMK, BJD, and YSRCP shows the risks regional parties take when they align with a strong national party like the BJP. Yet, it’s puzzling that even as these parties lose support while being seen as allies, the BJP keeps gaining strength in the states where these regional parties once had significant influence.