After the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s task force presented its findings to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding the party’s performance in the state.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP’s representation in Uttar Pradesh decreased to 33 seats from 62 in 2019.
Following the submission of the report, the Chief Minister took action by transferring 12 district magistrates, as reported by News18. Most of these district magistrates were from areas where the BJP faced defeat in the elections.
The transferred district magistrates were from districts such as Sitapur, Banda, Basti, Shrawasti, Kaushambi, Sambhal, Saharanpur, Moradabad, and Hathras. Additionally, the DMs of Kasganj, Chitrakoot, and Auraiya were also reassigned.
The BJP’s task force report highlighted several issues such as ‘odd’ ticket distribution, the Opposition’s ‘Threat to Constitution’ narrative, and a shift of the BSP vote base to the Samajwadi Party (SP) as key reasons for the party’s underperformance in Uttar Pradesh.
“Humein to apno ne loota, gairo mein kahaan dum tha, humari kashti bhi wahan doobi jahan paani kam tha…” News18 quoted a party functionary familiar with the task force’s findings as saying, who added “BJP’s downfall was less destined and more orchestrated.”
“A significant factor contributing to the BJP’s decline was internal dissent, mainly due to issues with ticket distribution and dissatisfaction within the Thakur community,” further elaborated the party functionary.
Amongst other factors, the task force identified the Opposition’s ‘Threat to Constitution’ narrative as damaging to the BJP’s prospects.
The narrative gained traction after a video of BJP candidate Lallu Singh went viral, where he suggested that a new government would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament to ‘make a new Constitution’.
“A government with 272 seats cannot amend the Constitution. For that, or even if a new Constitution is to be made, there is a need for over a two-thirds majority,” as quoted by News18.
In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured 240 seats and formed the government in collaboration with the Telegu Desam Party, Janata Dal United, Shiv Sena, Lok Janshakti Party, Janasena Party, and other allies.
