BJP seeks multiple feedback of their MPs in Uttar Pradesh; may field some UP ministers

New Delhi, Jan 3: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to get answer for the alliance of Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh as the BJP is making an assessment on all the 80 Lok Sabha seats. The party is looking at activities of MPs, their popularity, resentment of people against them and also looking for such candidate who could be an answer to the strategy of the opposition.

There is an alarm bell ringing for the BJP after the party lost Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Assembly elections to the Congress. The BJP had won 73 seats in 2014 Lok Sabha elections in UP. Though the BJP has made proper management on 1.67 lakh booths in the state to win more than 73 seats. This is many times better than preparations made by any other political party in the state.

The BJP has appointed from 11 to 21 members for the Booth Committee besides five cyber warrior on every booth. But the biggest challenge for the BJP is to deal with resentment of common people against its MPs. The BJP does not have any excuse as it has in the government in the state for around 20 months and 4.5 years at the Centre. It cannot hold anyone else responsible for anything.

It is likely that some sitting MPs may be denied ticket while some influential leaders might be fielded to replace them. Some of the ministers in the Yogi Adityanath government might be fielded in the Lok Sabha. Some of the MPs in 2014 had won in the Modi wave but they have not done anything for the constituency and people. For instance State power minister Shrikant Sharma may replace Hema Malini from Mathura.

At the moment, the BJP is taking feedback for the probable candidates from its programmes at booth, mandal, district and commissionaire level. The BJP is doing special monitoring on the reserve seats. There are 17 seats reserved for scheduled caste. There are some candidates belonging to general category looking for options in other political parties.

Two BJP MPs had gone to meet Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav but meeting did not materialise. It is very obvious that there is resentment among reserved category MPs. Bahraich MP Savitri Bai Phule has already resigned from the party. Some other are also in touch with other parties, so the BJP is looking for their replacement as well.

The BJP is giving more attention on seats like represented by United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi Rae Bareli, Congress president Rahul Gandhi's seat Amethi, and seats represented by Samajwadi Party like Kannauj, Mainpuri, Badaun, Firozabad and Azamgarh and seats lost in by-elections like Gorakhpur, Phoolpur and Kairana.