Before nominations, BJP to identify probable rebels

The party is likely to declare the Lok Sabha candidates after March 2.

Before declaring its candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, the UP BJP has for the first time started an exercise to identify leaders who could rebel if denied tickets and thus harm the party’s prospects in their respective constituencies.
The party is likely to declare the Lok Sabha candidates after March 2 — when party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi addresses a rally in Lucknow.

Party state general secretary Swatantra Dev Singh, in a letter to all the officer-bearers of state executive, regional and district units, has also asked them to prepare a list of probable “rebel” leaders and identify those who could convince them in favour of the party.

The party has sought another list of such party workers who are “unhappy” with the party and are keeping a distance from party activities. The party would depute leaders to cajole these workers.

Party state president Laxmikant Bajpai said: “This is a damage control exercise ahead of the declaration of candidates so that probable rebel workers could be convinced in the favour of the party in time before the elections.”

He also said such an exercise is being carried out for the first time.

A senior leader said rebel workers had earlier damaged the party’s chances in several constituencies. Sources said there are nearly 11 seats where the party was defeated in 2009 with a narrow margin of less than 10,000 votes.

The party had won 10 seats each in 2009 and 2004 Lok Sabha elections.

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Party state in-charge Amit Shah, who is touring the state these days, is asking party workers to seek vote in the name of Modi and not the candidate that the party will field.

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