Mass desertions 'force' BJP to revisit its electoral strategy in Uttar Pradesh

According to sources, the BJP central leadership has decided to either retain most of the sitting MLAs or change their constituencies

Desertions by several key leaders from the OBC and Gujjar communities and apprehensions that many more may be on their way out of the party ahead of the forthcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh have 'forced' the BJP to revisit its electoral strategy in the politically crucial state.

The immediate impact of the resignations by UP minister and OBC leader Swami Prasad Maurya and influential 'Gujjar' community leader Avtar Singh Bhadana was likely to be felt in selection of candidates for the forthcoming polls.

According to the sources, the BJP central leadership which had earlier indicated that it could deny renomination to over one hundred sitting MLAs to beat anti-incumbency and negative feedback from the ground, has now decided to either retain most of the sitting MLAs or change their constituencies.

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''It has been decided that the constituencies of some sitting MLAs will be changed instead of denying them renominations.....besides, the number of sitting legislators who could be denied renominations may not now be more than 40-50,'' said a senior UP BJP leader while speaking to DH on Wednesday.

Sources said that the decision was prompted by apprehensions that those, who were denied renominations, could hop over to the Samajwadi Party (SP) or other parties and get tickets from them.

Besides, the saffron party has also decided to reach out to the sulking MLAs and other senior leaders to placate them in view of Tuesday's desertions of Maurya and three other MLAs.

Sources said that Union home minister Amit Shah had taken upon himself to talk to the sulking UP leaders and placate them. A few sulking leaders, including UP minister Dara Singh Chauhan, who was considered to be a Maurya loyalist, had been asked to reach Delhi for a meeting with Shah and other senior leaders.

BJP's efforts to persuade UP minister Dara Singh Chauhan, who was considered to be a Maurya loyalist, to go to Delhi and meet Shaha proved futile as he resigned on Wednesday. The BJP had chartered a plane to take Chauhan and some other sulking BJP leaders to Delhi. The party was also in talks with some other sitting MLAs, who, it apprehended could leave the party

''These MLAs have been asked to issue statements denying reports that they have either joined the SP or are planning to join the same,'' said the BJP leader. Pratibha Shukla, an MLA from Kanpur, was reportedly made to issue a statement that she would remain in the BJP ''as long as she lived''.

Sources said that the state leadership had also been asked to reach out to the MLAs of the other parties and persuade them to cross over to the BJP. The induction of SP MLA Etawah Hariom Yadav and Congress MLA Saharanpur Naresh Saini into the BJP on Wednesday was part of the same exercise.

BJP leaders said that they were in touch with more MLAs from the SP and some of them might join them in the days to come.

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