New Delhi: Discontent among party workers, frequent leaks of recruitment exam question papers and the employment of contractual workers in government positions were some of the issues cited for the BJP's poor performance in Uttar Pradesh (UP) in a detailed report submitted by the party’s state unit to the central leadership.
The BJP won 33 seats, down 29 since 2019, while the Samajwadi Party won 37 seats and the Congress six in the recent general elections.
Given the hectic meetings between the BJP's top brass and the Uttar Pradesh unit leaders, it is evident that the party is not taking its Lok Sabha polls "drubbing" in the politically crucial state lightly. In the last couple of days, UP BJP president Bhupendra Chaudhary and state deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya have met party chief J.P. Nadda.
Chaudhary also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday and discussed organisational issues pertaining to UP and the BJP’s performance in the state in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.
According to sources, the Uttar Pradesh BJP has submitted a detailed analysis of the party's poor show in the state after collecting feedback from thousands of workers from across the state.
The UP BJP has listed discontent among party workers, frequent paper leaks, administrative high-handedness and employing contractual workers in government jobs, which, according to the party's report, allegedly reinforced the Opposition narratives about the party's stance on reservations.
Party sources pointed out that elected representatives like MLAs had no power and officials were running the administration, making the BJP state unit workers feel neglected and humiliated.
A party functionary mentioned that over a dozen cases of paper leaks in the last three years alone in Uttar Pradesh helped the Opposition's narrative against the BJP. Party leaders noted that filling the government position by contractual workers also strengthened the Opposition's misleading narrative that the BJP would change the Constitution and end reservations.
The BJP report pointed out losing electoral support among the Kurmi and Maurya communities and a reduction in Dalit votes. It also cited a weakening of Mayawati's BSP as a reason; the Congress performed better than expected in some areas and usurped the voteshare of the BSP.
The UP BJP report also listed the issues raised by the Opposition that resonated with the people.
