Why Did BJP Lose Big Number Of Seats In UP In Lok Sabha Polls? Internal Report Lists Reasons That Went Wrong

The BJP suffered a major setback in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, losing a big number of seats in Uttar Pradesh. While the saffron party had anticipated a setback in Maharashtra, the underperformance in Uttar Pradesh, where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained popular, was unexpected.

An internal BJP report has shed light on the factors contributing to the party's poor performance in the Hindi heartland, where it managed to win just 33 out of 80 seats, compared to 62 and 71 seats in the previous two elections. The 15-page report, which includes feedback from 40,000 party workers, outlines several key issues.

The BJP lost 8 percent of votes across six divisions: Western UP, Braj, Kanpur-Bundelkhand, Awadh, Gorakhpur, and Kashi. This decline is attributed to several factors:

• Arbitrariness and High-Handedness: The behavior of state officials and the administration led to significant dissatisfaction among party workers.
• Paper Leaks: Continuous leaks in government job exams over the past six years further fueled discontent among the electorate.
• Reservation Issues: The opposition capitalized on the state government's prioritization of general category candidates in the recruitment of contract workers, gaining momentum in their issue of abolishing reservations.
• Community Displeasure: The Rajput community's displeasure with the party was another notable factor.
• Controversial Statements: Comments by party leaders about changing the Constitution sparked controversy and alienated some voters.
• Worker Enthusiasm: Enthusiasm among party workers dwindled by the 6th and 7th phases of voting due to early ticket distribution.
• Old Pension Issue: This issue resonated strongly among government officials.
• Agnipath Recruitment Scheme: The scheme for Army personnel became a significant concern.
• Voter List Manipulations: The names of BJP's core voters were removed from the voters' list by lower-level election officials, with 30,000 to 40,000 names eliminated in almost all seats.
• Neglect of Party Workers: The state unit of the party did not pay sufficient attention to the concerns of low-level party workers, further contributing to dissatisfaction within the ranks.

These factors combined to severely impact the BJP's performance in Uttar Pradesh, leading to a significant loss of seats in a key battleground state, the report claimed.