Lucknow, June 10: The Uttar Pradesh BJP has compiled a comprehensive report evaluating the performance of ministers and legislators who faced defeat in their constituencies during the recent Lok Sabha elections.
“This report will be submitted this week, and the central leadership of the party will deliberate on the necessary actions to be taken. UP BJP President Bhupendra Chaudhary and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have already gathered feedback from the ministers, which will be an integral part of the report,” revealed a senior party official.
The setback faced by the BJP in Uttar Pradesh holds significance as the party had entrusted ministers with the responsibility of overseeing the progress of development initiatives, welfare schemes, and the party's electoral campaign across 75 districts and 80 Lok Sabha constituencies last year.
None of the ministers reported any shortcomings in project implementation or any disillusionment among voters with the party or the government.
Rajvir Singh, who lost in the Etah constituency, attributed his defeat to internal sabotage by a faction of party workers.
“I had informed the party high command about the plot to undermine my candidacy, but no action was taken. I hope corrective measures will be initiated now,” he remarked.
Raghav Lakhanpal, BJP's candidate from Saharanpur, blamed the party's campaign strategy for his loss, claiming it backfired and caused the defection of Dalit and OBC votes to the opposition candidate. He noted that even traditional BJP supporters opted for the Congress candidate, Masood.
Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, contesting for a third term from Fatehpur, was defeated by SP UP chief Naresh Uttam. She also suspected sabotage by certain party leaders, alleging they sowed confusion among voters.
None of the ministers overseeing these constituencies addressed these concerns or reported them to the party high command for necessary action.
BJP leaders are also questioning the relevance of allies such as SBSP and Nishad Party, who failed to mobilize votes from their respective communities.
SBSP chief and UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar lost in Ghosi, and his son Arvind Rajbhar was defeated by 1.6 lakh votes. Similarly, Sanjay Nishad, minister and head of the Nishad Party, saw his son Parveen Nishad lose in Sant Kabir Nagar to the Samajwadi Party.
Sakshi Maharaj, Unnao MP securing victory for the third consecutive time, emphasized, “Stringent action should be taken against those responsible for undermining the party in such a crucial election. Several BJP candidates have raised concerns about internal sabotage.”
UP’s Finance Minister Suresh Khanna attributed the defeats to the overconfidence of party leaders and cadre. Khanna, who led the campaign in Shahjahanpur Lok Sabha seat, witnessed victory for the BJP in that constituency.
A senior BJP figure acknowledged the party's failure to manage polling booths as effectively as in previous elections.
The BJP's tally in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in UP dropped to 33 from 62 in 2019.
