BJP drops a fourth of its MLAs in 1st list for MP polls

BHOPAL/NEWDELHI: It (ticket distribution) is based on independent feedback, input from the party and surveys commissioned. Each of these suggested that the MLAs who were denied tickets had a poor chance of winning

BJP LEADER

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday announced its first list of 177 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh assembly election, dropping more than a fourth of its sitting legislators to minimise the impact of anti-incumbency in a state it has ruled for the past 15 years. The BJP has been in power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003 and Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been the chief minister from November 2005.

Of the 177 constituencies for which candidates were announced, 128 are held by the BJP. In 34 of these, it has changed its candidates. The remaining 49 are not held by the BJP, and in 27 of these, the BJP has fielded new candidates rather than going in for the same ones who lost in these constituencies in 2013. The 34 sitting legislators denied seats include three ministers, Maya Singh from Gwalior East, Gaurishankar Shejwar from Sanchi (reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates) and Harsh Singh from Rampur Baghelan. The BJP will announce candidates for the remaining 53 seats in a day or two, a BJP leader said on condition of anonymity.

“Ticket distribution has been done in a democratic manner. It is based on independent feedback, input from the party and surveys commissioned. Each of these suggested that the MLAs who were denied tickets had a poor chance of winning,” a second BJP leader said, asking not to be identified.

Hindustan Times first reported that the party would fight anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, the three major states were elections are being held, by dropping some of its sitting MLAs.

The Chouhan government has been embroiled in controversies such as the Vyapam scam (for admission to professional colleges and for government jobs), and the party feared that this, combined with a sense of fatigue among people, could work to its disadvantage.

“The challenge from the Congress is tougher this time. We could not afford to take a chance.