UP BJP prepares 15-page document on party's Lok Sabha performance
What's the story
The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Uttar Pradesh unit has submitted a comprehensive 15-page report to the party's top leadership, outlining the reasons for its lackluster performance in the Lok Sabha elections.
The report was compiled after interviewing over 50,000 people across Uttar Pradesh, News18 reported.
State Chief Bhupendra Chaudhary and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya presented this document during high-profile meetings with central leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP National President JP Nadda.
Vote analysis
Report highlights decline in BJP's vote share
The report revealed an 8% decline in the BJP's vote share across all six divisions of Uttar Pradesh.
It also indicated a shift in the Kurmi and Maurya castes' support away from the party, with the BJP securing only one-third of the Dalit votes.
The reports suggested that a 10% drop in the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)'s vote share proved advantageous for the Congress and its alliance partners within the state.
Downfall reasons
Report cites administration overreach as key factor
The report identified the domination of administration over party and government as a significant factor contributing to the BJP's poor performance.
The public and BJP supporters were discontented with the overreach of bureaucracy and police on many issues, the report stated.
Additionally, the report pointed out that there was no mechanism in place to address complaints or concerns from demoralized and disgruntled party workers.
Campaign issues
Early candidate announcement, ill-timed statements hurt BJP
The report also highlighted that the early announcement of candidates led to fatigue among party workers due to a prolonged campaign period.
Ill-timed statements on key issues such as changes in the Constitution if the party crosses the 400-mark were exploited by opposition parties.
Furthermore, the inability to control paper leaks or hold competitive exams over the last few years, leading to a lack of contractual jobs, was reportedly another concern among youth.
Voter concerns
Missing names, upcoming elections highlighted in report
The report disclosed that approximately 30,000-40,000 staunch BJP supporters found their names missing from voter lists on many seats.
In light of these findings, discussions with the top brass emphasized the need for collective responsibility and consensus on vital matters.
The BJP's seat count in Uttar Pradesh dropped from 62 in 2019 to 33 this year, contributing to the party's overall decline from 303 to 240.