More than a dozen BJP MPs from Uttar Pradesh may not get tickets for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections since a confidential report being prepared by the state BJP unit has found their performance ‘unsatisfactory’ in the ongoing mass contact programme to mark the completion of nine years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.
All MPs had been made responsible for holding rallies as part of the mass contact programme, in coordination with respective district presidents. They had been given a target of at least 10,000 people for the rallies in their respective constituencies.
Sources said that around 20 per cent MPs fared poorly in the mass contact programme and about 50 per cent could manage 60-70 per cent of the targeted numbers while the remaining half could manage just about 40 per cent.
Each of these rallies are being addressed by a senior BJP leader from the pool of central ministers deputed for the role, national BJP office-bearers, UP chief minister and state BJP president.
BJP, at present, has 64 MPs from the state.
A senior party functionary said, for instance, in Gautam Buddha Nagar, the contact programme was held at an auditorium with 5,000 capacity but reports received said that only 2,000 to 2,500 people were present there.
Taking note of the performance, the top state leadership has decided to hold another rally in Noida on June 25 to be addressed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Similar is the case of Kannauj, from where the state leadership has received conflicting reports on the number of people present in the rally.
While the district president in his report has cited the presence of over 7,000 people in the rally, another leader, who was present in the rally, reported that only 1,500 to 2,000 people were present there.
Since the difference in quoted numbers was huge, the party has sent the report to BJP organisation secretary Dharampal Singh to take further decision. Similar reports have come in from Ghosi, Lalganj and Bahraich.
Some MPs have even sought help from the government machinery to bring in crowds for the events.
In a letter purportedly written by Machhlishahr MP, B.P. Saroj, to Jaunpur district magistrate –which has gone viral– the MP had requested help to get beneficiaries at a rally at Bayalsi Degree College, Jalalpur on June 19.
“It will definitely be a factor when tickets for the LS polls are decided,” said the functionary.
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