Is Amit Shah’s Presence Necessary for BJP’s Excellence?

MCD Elections: The Saffron party faced a crushing defeat in the parliamentary constituency of Meenakshi Lekhi, the only Union Minister from Delhi.

MCD Elections: Amit Shah is usually compared with Chanakya in BJP politics. But on this occasion he confined himself only to Gujarat. In his absence, BJP minus Amit Shah may have been the reason why BJP failed to retain its fort in Delhi.

Are BJP leaders not capable of making a better strategy without Union Home Minister Amit Shah? After the election results of Delhi, this question has become very important. Due to the elections of two states and Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls taking place at the same time, Amit Shah confined  his field of work only to Gujarat. The command of Delhi remained directly in the hands of Central Organization General Secretary BL Santosh. But he and the state in-charge could not show any such miracle which would have gained victory for the party again.

Lack of proper strategy

The election results in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi show that the BJP leadership here could not raise the ground issues properly. More importance was given to the attack on Satyendar Jain, who was locked up in Tihar. But the BJP failed to make Delhi’s suffocating pollution and cleaning of the Yamuna a big issue. The allegations leveled on the party about the goof up in ticket distribution and the neglect of the grassroots workers cost the BJP dearly. Arvind Kejriwal’s precise strategy with the allegations leveled against the BJP regarding the garbage mountain and corruption did not give the BJP a chance to emerge.

Question on leadership

After the BJP’s defeat in the Municipal Corporation, the grassroot workers of the party are fiercely questioning the functioning of the state leadership. Allegations are being leveled against the party’s state president Adesh Gupta and organization general secretary Siddharthan. Other than this, there is also discussion in the party that both can be relieved of their responsibilities. During the meeting held at the party office on Wednesday itself, Adesh Gupta also mentioned this. He said that some people are ‘silently’ demanding the resignation of the two leaders.

Absence of energy at the central level

If a senior leader of the party is to be believed, the BJP Gen Secy had questioned the list of candidates and the ground units were also asked to check the list made on the basis of opinion polls. But no such special change was made in the list of the ticket holders. Although no question was raised on the impartiality of the state in-charge, nevertheless there was a complaint about his unavailability for communication with the workers.

Failure found even in Sikh majority areas

The BJP has faced failure in four assembly constituencies with a majority of Sikh population, Rajouri Garden, Hari Nagar, Tilak Nagar and Janak Puri. In their 12 corporation wards, only three seats came to BJP lot. While “AAP” successful won nine seats. However, attention was given to Manjinder Singh Sirsa and the Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, who were deputed as Sikh leader here. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri himself was seen campaigning here, but in vain.

Poorvanchali star failed in front of Mahabal Mishra

Former West Delhi MP Mahabal Mishra, who left the Congress and joined AAP during the election battle, overpowered the Purvanchali stars of the BJP. The BJP managed to win only 13 out of 38 seats in the parliamentary constituency of former chief minister Sahib Singh Verma, his son and BJP MP Pravesh Verma. In such a situation, the 2024 election season may prove tough for the party here.

Questions on the only Union Minister from Delhi

The party faced a crushing defeat in the parliamentary constituency of Meenakshi Lekhi, the party’s only Union minister from Delhi. Out of the 25 seats only five seats here favored the BJP, whereas the Aam Aadmi Party swept 20 seats here.  Out of her parliamentary constituencies including Patel Nagar, Moti Nagar, Malviya Nagar and Ramakrishna Puram, BJP could not succeed to get a single seat.

(Subodh Jain)