Poor show in Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura big setback for BJP

Many blame it on ignoring of local leadership, ground level party workers and Covid mismanagement

The panchayat election results have come as a setback for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has failed to perform as per the expectations against its archrival Samajwadi Party at most places in Uttar Pradesh.

What has left its leaders worried is party’s performance in Ayodhya, the religious town, which has been at the centerstage of politics ever since the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017.

Not only in Ayodhya the BJP has also lost to its rivals, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), in Varanasi and Mathura, respectively.

Both Varanasi and Mathura are high-profile religious destinations of the state with much political significance.

Varanasi’s loss is also significant as Prime Minister Narendra Modi represents this historic city in Lok Sabha, feel many. In Ayodhya, where construction of Ram Mandir is going on, the BJP managed to win only in eight wards out of 40. The Samajwadi Party bagged 24 seats of the Zila Panchayat member.

The BSP and others have been able to win in four wards each while the Congress scored zero. Various reasons are being attributed to BJP’s poor performance in Ayodhya where the party won all five assembly seats in 2017 election.

“Local BJP leaders are distraught. All these years they have been completely sidelined. Even in panchayat elections which are completely localised, local workers were ignored.

Even recommendation of candidates by party MLAs were ignored by the state leadership,” said a senior functionary of the party in Ayodhya.

“Local BJP leaders are helpless. They do not have any say in any issue,” he added.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also contributed to the BJP’s loss in panchayat polls in Ayodhya and in other places, insists political observer.

“Most of the deaths in Covid are due to failure of the system. Acute shortage of beds in government and private hospitals, treatment in private hospitals turning out of reach of common man and black marketing of lifesaving drugs also contributed to the BJP’s debacle not only in Ayodhya but in other parts of the state,” said a senior VHP leader of Ayodhya. “Even I was not able to arrange a single Oxygen cylinder for anyone. Now, how am I going to face people whose genuine request for an Oxygen cylinder or a bed in hospital I could not fulfill,” said an RSS functionary of Ayodhya.

“The mismanagement in pandemic and ignoring local party leaders and workers will also have its repercussion in forthcoming assembly elections in the state which are scheduled after early next year,” said Awadesh Kumar Singh, president, Sri Saryu Vikas Samiti, Ayodhya.

Singh, who is associated with the RSS, had filed a writ in Lucknow high court against acquiring of land in Manja Barhata, Ayodhya, for installing statue of Lord Ram. Farmers of the region are opposing the project.

It may be pointed out that at Deepotsav celebrations in 2017, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had announced to install 251 feet statue of lord Ram in Ayodhya.

Kashi results also not heartening

In Varanasi, the multi-crore Kashi Vishwanath corridor project and PM Modi’s representation of the historic city in Parliament did not help the BJP in panchayat polls. Out of 40 sets of Zila Panchayat members, the BJP could win on only seven while Samajwadi Party bagged 15 seats. While the Congress won five, the BSP four, the Apna Dal (Sonelal) two, the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) one, six seats went to Independents. Out of eight assembly seats, BJP won six and one each went to its ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) and the SBSP. However, SBSP is no more the BJP’s ally.

“Selection of candidates has been a prominent reason behind BJP’s poor performance in panchayat polls in Varanasi,” said Anupam Shukla, social activist.

“A local party worker having connect at the grass root level, who may or may not have been very active in party organisation, should have been given the ticket,” Shukla added.

“But such workers were ignored. As panchayat polls are completely local elections based on local politics, including caste and muscle power, selection of proper candidates is important to win the election,” he asserted.

Poor management in pandemic is also a reason for party’s poor performance on semi-rural seats, he pointed out.

BSP show in Mathura

Mathura, famous for Lord Krishna’s temple complex, is another religious destination where BJP’s rival outperformed it in the panchayat polls. The city is in news now-a-days due to the litigation in district court over the temple complex issue which shares its boundary with a mosque. Here, BJP was able to win only in eight wards out of 33. The BSP outperformed all other parties by winning in 13 wards. While candidates supported by the Rashtriya Lok Dal won in eight wards. Out of five assembly constituencies in Mathura district, the BJP won in four in 2017 assembly polls.

BJP leader and Bollywood actor Hema Malini represents Mathura in Lok Sabha.

“Like in previous panchayat

elections, the BSP has retained its stronghold in this local election also. As compared to last election, BJP’s performance has

improved. But being a ruling party in the state, its performance should have been better,” said local layer Vijay Pal Singh.