New Delhi: Admitting that the party has suffered a "setback" in the elections in Jammu, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on October 10 said the main reasons were its alliance with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-led Jammu State Morcha (JSM) and association with National Conference at the state level.

"BJP and JSM had some arrangement. But, the arrangement was not successful because they (JSM) violated it and then the division of votes seem to have affected us," party president M Venkaiah Naidu told in New Delhi.

Another factor, which had affected the party's electoral prospects, was that BJP and National Conference were together in Delhi but fought against each other in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the message was very clear that the people voted against the present National Conference government in the state because of the strong "anti-incumbency factor".

The BJP chief said the electorate chose Congress in some seats and People's Democratic Party (PDP) in some other places not because they liked these parties but because they had to vote against the ruling party.

However, he said the outcome was a "victory for India and democracy and a setback for Pakistan".

He said people have appreciated the manner in which the elections were conducted in the state and the free and fair polling that has taken place.

PTI