News Brief
Yogi Adityanath Transfers 12 District Magistrates After BJP Task Force Report On Party's Poor Show In Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath (Manoj Yadav/Hindustan Times/Getty Images)
In a comprehensive report submitted to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the BJP's task force identified internal dissent and lack of cooperation from district administrative machinery as major factors behind the party's disappointing performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP's seat count in Uttar Pradesh dropped to 33 in the national elections, a significant decline from the 62 seats secured in the 2019 polls.
In response to the task force's findings, Chief Minister Adityanath swiftly transferred 12 district magistrates, particularly from districts where the BJP suffered losses in the 2024 polls.
The districts affected by these administrative changes include Sitapur, Banda, Basti, Shrawasti, Kaushambi, Sambhal, Saharanpur, Moradabad, and Hathras, with additional reassignments in Kasganj, Chitrakoot, and Auraiya.
These changes reflect the BJP’s losses in all these constituencies except for Hathras, reports News18.
The report attributed the BJP's poor showing to several factors:
1. Odd Ticket Distribution
The party's unconventional ticket distribution strategy was highlighted as a critical error.
2. Opposition's Narrative
The Opposition's "Threat to Constitution" narrative resonated with voters, further damaging the BJP's prospects.
A significant shift of the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) voter base to the Samajwadi Party (SP) compounded the BJP's difficulties. The SP's Picchda Dalit Alpsankhyak (PDA) strategy effectively attracted Dalit and Muslim voters.
The task force's findings also highlighted internal dissatisfaction, particularly within the Thakur community.
The controversy surrounding Rajya Sabha MP Parshottam Rupala's remarks about erstwhile royal families aligning with the British, in contrast to the steadfastness of the Dalit community, sparked outrage among Kshatriya organisations.
This backlash was particularly felt in Purvanchal, a Thakur-dominated region, where the BJP's tally fell dramatically from 20 to 11 seats.
Prominent Thakur figures, including Raja Bhaiya, Dhananjay Singh, and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, wield significant influence in Purvanchal.
Their discontent with the BJP's candidate selection process further weakened the party's standing.
Internal conflicts, such as those involving Raebareli candidate Dinesh Pratap Singh and the candidature of Ajay Mishra Teni, exacerbated the party's challenges.
The task force also noted the detrimental impact of BJP candidate Lallu Singh's viral video, in which he suggested the need for a two-thirds majority to create a new Constitution.
This remark provided ammunition for the Opposition, with Congress using it to target the BJP.
