BJP may drop sitting MLAs to counter anti-incumbency in UP

The state leadership, which met on Monday night, indicated that they are dropping a significant number of incumbents

January 11, 2022

BJP in UP: May replace one-third of sitting MLAs to counter anti-incumbency

As Uttar Pradesh is entering the polls, BJP is all set to counter the anti-incumbency factor by replacing over 100 sitting legislators for the Assembly elections.

The BJP plans to begin the replacements in Uttar Pradesh by next month. The state leadership, which met on Monday night, indicated that they are dropping a significant number of incumbents.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other state leaders are expected to reach Delhi on Tuesday with their recommendations for the first two phases of the polls for western Uttar Pradesh.

The party is banking on the “goodwill over welfare schemes” and the robust law and order situation prevailing in the state to deliver a “pro-incumbency” sentiment in the polls and leaders believe that the discontent against individual MLAs might see the party losing a few seats that it should win.

However, these reports have made the sitting BJP legislators increasingly restive.

BJP MLA Radha Krishna Sharma, who won the Bilsi Assembly seat in Badaun, joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Monday. Earlier, BJP MLAs Madhuri Verma (Bahraich) and Rakesh Rathore (Sitapur) also shifted loyalty to the SP.

“We should have been informed in advance about the party decision. The nomination for the first phase begins in two days and we are yet undecided about our fate. This is bound to lead to discontent and, perhaps, even internal sabotage,” said an MLA from western Uttar Pradesh.

“There is no doubt that one-third of the sitting legislators will be replaced, mainly because of non-performance. However, it will be done in a way that denial of tickets does not result in too many rebels,” said a senior party functionary.

He said that replacements of the existing MLAs will be announced on the last dates of filing of nominations.

The BJP’s poll in-charge and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has already held consultations with leaders from various regions to discuss the electoral prospects of sitting MLAs and other candidates for seats that the party had lost in 2017.

It is not unusual for any party to deny sitting legislators tickets based on various reasons. For instance, in Rajasthan in 2018, the BJP dropped 43 sitting MLAs, including four ministers. In Jharkhand, too, over a dozen sitting MLAs were dropped for younger and newer faces representing women and SC/ ST communities.

[With Inputs from IANS]

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