BJP ropes in 23 MPs to review situation ahead of polls

Mathur categorically conveyed to the members that they would have to play a crucial role in their respective Lok Sabha constituencies to ensure party’s victory. But the decision to rope in the MPs was taken with two objectives in mind.  While it aims to send across a message that the central leadership is not completely ignoring their suggestions and the candidates’ list submitted for their respective Lok Sabha seats, it also ensures that the MPs play a pro-active role, along with the candidates in the fray as a team.

Highly placed sources said MPs had been knocking the doors of the Delhi leaders to lobby for their individual candidates or voicing their disappointment against the names emerging in their constituencies across the state.

The party reckons that central leaders are consulting cross-sections within the party, including MPs, to bring greater objectivity in the shortlisting of candidates for Assembly polls. A central leader told The Indian Express: “Unlike regional parties, we are a big organisation where multi-layered discussions and decision-making take place. If we strictly follow the system, the list of candidates would be formalised by the state core committee, which would require the approval of the central election and the parliamentary board. However, over the months we have been receiving individuals MPs who have been sending us names for Assembly seats. To placate the individuals’ concerns, we decided to formalise the procedure by holding one-to-one discussion with the MPs.

He added: “Mathurji is not only seeking their judgement on where and how the BJP or the Sena and other allies are placed, but also seeking names of candidates.”