Dropped Chhattisgarh's BJP MPs keep cards close to chest

March 21, 2019 11:08

The Bharatiya Janata Party MPs from Chhattisgarh are in a state of shock but wary of revealing the next move even as party leadership decides to drop them in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

Taking a lesson from the cadre's moods in the assembly elections where it faced humiliating defeat, BJP leadership had decided to drop all the incumbent MPs in Chhattisgarh and field fresh faces.

The party has bagged 10 out of 11 seats in 2014.

"Had the party not decided to drop sitting MPs, party workers would not have come out to work even in the Lok Sabha elections," a senior BJP office bearer said.

The multi-channels analysis of assembly poll debacle had concluded that party workers were reluctant and did not work for the party candidates.

The BJP faced humiliating defeat in Chhattisgarh; contesting the predictions of psephologists.

The resentment against its own government was so high that BJPs vote share dropped nine per cent while party was confined to just 15 seats in the 90-membered assembly.

The party leadership did not want to repeat the assembly poll experience and had taken stern decision to drop all the sitting MPs. The incumbent parliamentarians are stunned but silent to spill out their strategy in open waiting for party leaderships next move.

"I am hopeful that I would get ticket," former Union minister and Raipur MP Ramesh Bais said. He would not like to discuss further as list of candidates (replacing them) had not yet come, he said, adding that his supporters were charged but would accept whatever decision the party leadership would take.

Abhishek Singh, MP from Rajnandgaon and son of former Chief Minister Raman Singh said as party worker, the decision was acceptable.

"At present, our goal is to win all the 11 seats in Chhattisgarh," he said, adding that all MPs performed best to their ability in last five years.

The BJP MPs were supposed to meet at the residence of Bais today evening. But the meeting could not take place as couple of MPs flew to New Delhi.

The fear of disciplinary action was cited as one of the reasons as party managers had been keeping a close watch on the development.

-- Business Standard

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Ex-Cong leader Radhika Khera, actor Shekhar Suman join BJP

Both Khera and Suman joined the saffron at its headquarters in Delhi in the presence of senior leaders, including BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde and national media department in-charge Anil Baluni.

51 Indian soldiers left Maldives so far, total withdrawal by May 10: Official

She, however, refused to disclose the exact figure of the Indian soldiers stationed in the Maldives, stating the details would be shared at a later date, Sun.mv news portal reported.

Phase 3: Over 60% polling till 5 pm; clashes in Bengal

A voter turnout of 60.19 per cent was recorded till 5 pm in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories on Tuesday with sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal.

Kidnapping and rape case accused held after 40 years

All these years, various police teams tried to search him, but he remained untraced, he said.

EC directs X to take down BJP's clip on Muslim quota

Election Commission on Tuesday directed social media platform 'X' to 'immediately' take down an animated video shared by the Karnataka unit of the BJP related to the row over reservation for the Muslim community.