Following BJP’s disappointing performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, the party’s state office in Lucknow is now rife with accusations of sabotage and treason.
Many senior leaders especially candidates and constituency-in-charge have accused the local leaders and legislators for deliberately letting the party loose.
It is said that the defeated candidates have also sent a comprehensive report to their party command, in which they accused party members of sabotage.
As corroborated by senior party leaders, these candidates have cited internal treason as a major reason behind their loss.
For example, ex-union minister Sanjeev Baliyan who was defeated in Muzaffarnagar, alleged, that the ex-BJP MLA Sangeet Som, gave its support to Samajwadi candidate, while som asserted, he handled sardhana, where BJP didn’t loose.
Talking about Balyan, som stated, Balyan faced defeats in his constituencies of Budhana and Charthawal. Even in the urban assembly seat, where the BJP traditionally led by 70,000 votes, the margin was reduced to a mere 800 votes. Why this happened, only Balyan can explain.’
He debunked the allegations, which suggested, that he aided the Samajwadi Party and stated, that he had been jailed by the same party.
Reacting to these accusations, the party leadership has instructed candidates to identify and tackle the causes behind their defeats.
As per the reports, the BJP’s central leadership is flooded with accounts of internal conflicts and sabotage. As a result, extensive review process has been initiated.
Later, a closed-door meeting was convened to address the grievances. Following its conclusion, the high command directed the state organization to identify saboteurs and demanded a comprehensive report from the state’s booth level.
Meanwhile, many candidates like Sakshi Maharaj (who won unnao with less margin of votes), Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti (who lost Faridpur) and Kaushal Kishore, cited sabotage as a reason behind their defeat or their close win.
Besides, many also cited ticket distribution as a major reason behind the loss, as many MPs were allegedly nominated despite opposition from the ground. As a result, the party workers got disillusioned and did not actively campaign for the candidate.
It remains to be seen, how BJP deal with its internal divisions and its associated challenges, that has come under public radar since the expectation-defying Lok sabha election results.
