Despite Modi ‘diktat’, kin dominate BJP lists

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 23

The BJP’s lists of candidates, announced so far, for the five State Assembly polls have revealed some interesting trends—- some strategic and some arising out of compulsion.

One, despite the party’s declaration—how much it abhors the “Congress and Samajwadi Party-type of dynasty rule”, attempts are being made to keep the senior lot happy. Sons and daughters are being accommodated, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “warning” against the practice of senior leaders seeking tickets for the kin.

Two, very few among the BJP’s candidates are women — an observation to which party leaders have no answers.

And three, despite the minority community—Muslims—-that is holding sway in scores of seats in Uttar Pradesh and also quite a few in the neighbouring Uttarakhand, the BJP has refrained itself from fielding any Muslim candidate in the two states, so far.  However, the only exception it seems to have made so far is in Manipur. The list of candidates for the north-eastern state announced today includes Mohammad Anwar Hussain, who will contest from Lilong.

A part of the plan to contrast itself against the Samajwadi Party, the Congress and the BSP (which, as of now, has announced the maximum Muslim candidates in UP) as the only viable option for the majority community, BJP leaders point how a similar strategy (to not field a single Muslim candidate) gave them handsome returns in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Notably, the BJP won 71 of 80 UP seats in 2014.

BJP leaders say winnability is the only factor and the party could not project Muslim candidates just for the sake of being secular. “Tickets have been given to Muslims candidates who can gather votes for the BJP. There are Muslim ministers in party-ruled states. A couple of names (of Muslim candidates) can also be expected in the coming lists,” they said.

BJP leader Sambit Patra said a party leader’s son or daughter being given a MLA ticket was not an example of dynastic rule.

“The dynastic rule is when the heir apparent automatically becomes claimant to the throne after his or her father or mother. There is a difference between the dynastic rule and someone getting a ticket to contest the Assembly election. It is not like someone has been placed at the top by the virtue of his or her birth like Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. You cannot deny a deserving candidate his due because he or she is the son or daughter of a leader,” Patra said.

Sources said the BJP had received requests from more than 50 UP leaders seeking tickets for their sons, daughters and other relatives and only a few genuine ones were obliged.

Family first: Sons and daughters of several politicians made the cut in the BJP’s lists even as Modi had advised against it recently

Uttar Pradesh 

• Former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh’s grandson Sandeep Singh
• Rajnath Singh’s son Pankaj Singh
• Lalji Tondon’s son Ashutosh Tondon
• MP Hukum Singh’s daughter Mriganka Singh
• Swami Prasad Maurya’s son Utkarsh Maurya

Uttarakhand

• Congress’ turncoat Yashpal Arya’s son Sanjeev Arya
• Former CM Vijay Bahuguna’s son Saurabh Bahuguna
• Former CM BC Khanduri’s daughter Ritu Khanduri Bhushan