Over a dozen Bharatiya Janata Party candidates, who lost the election in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections, have submitted a report to the high command alleging sabotage and betrayal by the party leaders and workers of their constituencies.
A senior party leader told this reporter that party candidates have alleged betrayal and sabotage as the primary reason for their defeat. They have pointed fingers at colleagues and local leaders that led to poor show by the party in this election. The party leadership has asked the candidates to identify and address the causes of their loss.
Sources say that the BJP high command has been inundated with reports of infighting and sabotage. In response, the high command has initiated a comprehensive review process. Before the upcoming National Democratic Alliance meeting, a closed-door session was held to discuss these complaints.
The high command has asked the state organisation to identify the saboteurs and has sought detailed reports from every booth in the state.
Over a dozen candidates have submitted reports to the party high command, alleging internal sabotage as a primary factor in their defeats. Even among those who managed to secure their seats, albeit with reduced margins, the narrative of internal betrayal persists.
Sakshi Maharaj, who won from Unnao constituency for the third consecutive time, attributed his diminished victory margin to internal ‘traitors’. Former Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, who lost in Fatehpur, cited sabotage within the party as the reason for her defeat. Anupriya Patel’s supporters, celebrating her third win in Mirzapur, claimed that the BJP workers covertly opposed her campaign. Kaushal Kishore, defeated in Mohanlalganj, accused party workers of undermining his efforts, a sentiment echoed by other candidates across various constituencies.
Many candidates even accused local MLAs and party office-bearers of not supporting the party candidates adequately. Specific seats, including Shravasti, Lalganj and Ghaziabad reported allegations of internal sabotage.
Another reason for the defeat is attributed to the ticket distribution process. “There was dissatisfaction over ticket distribution. Many MPs were nominated despite local opposition, which resulted in disengaged and disillusioned party workers who chose not to support the candidates actively,” a party leader said.
The loss was particularly notable in the case of seven Union ministers, including Smriti Irani, who failed to win their seats. The fallout has been severe, with prominent leaders publicly criticising the party’s leadership and organisational decisions.
