As the BJP suffered defeat at the hands of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Bawana by-elections, a whiff of sabotage suspends in the air. Hours after the AAP’s victory was confirmed, a preliminary assessment by the BJP indicated at the insiders’ role had caused party’s defeat. The report identified at least 18 party members who did not work in “interest of the party”.
The most notable name mentioned in the report was West Delhi MP and Bawana by-election incharge Pravesh Verma who has been accused of not devoting ample time in the constituency.
It said Verma, who is a prominent Jat leader and son of former CM Sahib Singh Verma, did not exercise his influence on Jat community that cost BJP dear.
4 FORMER BJP MLAs BLAMED FOR LOSS
The communication, accessed by Mail Today, indicts four former BJP MLAs – Kulwant Rana, Manoj Shokeen, Neeldaman Khatri and Rajesh Gehlot – who were assigned key responsibilities in the elections and blamed for the loss. Notably, all of these leaders come from the villages. It is noteworthy that Khatri is currently the district president and was a key person overseeing the poll preparations.
“The internal assessment has found these leaders indulging in consistent self-glorification instead of working for the party. The poll management was directionless and outsiders were deputed on polling booths. Being unknown faces, these workers failed to bring voters to the booths. Also these leaders failed to spend the poll funds judiciously,” a senior BJP leader privy to the developments told Today.
The AAP comfortably retained Bawana constituency and redeemed some its lost pride following a string of poll defeats in recent times. AAP candidate Ram Chander bagged 59,886 votes while the BJP, which fielded AAP turncoat Ved Parkash as its candidate, finished a distant second with 35,834 votes. Congress’s Surender Kumar trailed closely behind with 31,919 votes. For the BJP, the loss comes barely four months into its total domination in the municipal polls and a sweep in the Rajouri Garden bypolls.
DIRECTIONLESS STRATEGIES
Senior party leaders said strategies planned by state office bearers like general secretaries Kuljeet Chahal, Ravinder Gupta, Sidharthan and vice president Rajiv Babbar were directionless. “Sidelining everyone, including Manoj Tiwari, these senior office bearers took control of poll preparations. Instead of focusing on key areas they led a directionless campaign,” they said.
Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta’s role is also being questioned. It was Gupta who insisted on the candidature of Prakash despite reservations from the state unit.
Even poster placed across the Bawana constituency did not carry photo of Amit Shah and Manoj Tiwari, citing poll strategy.
NON-PERFORMERS TO BE REMOVED
Stung by the results, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said, “We will critically examine the causes of defeat and the poll managers will be asked to explain the same. Accountability will be fixed on each of the office bearer who were assigned specific roles in the poll process”.
Sources close to the BJP president also hinted at major churning in the organization saying the non performers will be removed. The assessment report will be sent to BJP national president Amit Shah soon.
Tiwari said a review meeting will be convened in the next couple of days wherein point wise explanation will be sought from the leaders. “We accept the mandate given by the voters of Bawana. We will assess the reasons that led to our defeat,” said Tiwari, who also cancelled his visit to California scheduled from August 31 in wake of the poll results.
