Multiple factors behind BJP’s defeat

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, June 4

There were multiple factors behind the BJP’s defeat in the Lok Sabha election here. The party was seeking a hat-trick by fielding Sanjay Tandon from the Chandigarh seat.

Besides anti-incumbency, infighting among party leaders, Tandon not being able to take everyone along and no Prime Minister’s rally in the city are some of the factors that led to the saffron party’s defeat. Congress candidate was able to cash in on the issue of ballot tampering by Anil Masih in the mayoral polls. His challenge to Tandon for an open debate, the Congress guarantees and support from the AAP were the other reasons, which tilted the result in his favour.

Senior BJP leaders, including incumbent MP Kirron Kher, former MP Satya Pal Jain and previous city BJP president Arun Sood, were missing from active campaigning. They were also seeking party ticket from here. After casting her vote, Kher, who was only seen at the rallies of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and national BJP president JP Nadda, had said some individuals in the party ignored her. She and her political strategist Sahdev Salaria were not actively involved in the election.

Several leaders felt Tandon was running parallel teams in wards and his family was involved more in the party affairs. It discouraged some workers. Anti-incumbency is another factor. Most people believed nothing had been done in a decade to resolve long-standing issues. Also, the celebrity-turned politician mostly remained out of the city.

Though BJP leaders earlier claimed there was no need for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally here unlike the previous two terms, as the party was confident of winning the seat easily. They, however, now felt Tandon could have overcome the thin margin of 2,504 votes, had the PM addressed a rally here. “His one rally had an impact even in the run-up to the previous election, which Kher eventually won even when her rival Congress’ Pawan Bansal was going strong,” said a BJP leader.

The alliance between the Congress and AAP, which has its Mayor in the Municipal Corporation, worked for Tewari. Most colonies, where about 46 per cent voters live, are represented by AAP councillors. Former MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, who was denied ticket, stayed away from Tewari’s campaigning. However, this factor did not seem to have affected Tewari’s poll prospects.

Tewari repeatedly raised the issue of nominated councillor Anil Masih, who had tampered with eight ballot papers to make the BJP candidate win the mayoral election. Tandon or other BJP leaders could not strongly counter this issue.

The former Union minister also cornered Tandon over the debate challenge time and again, saying that when he cannot debate with him, how he would face 543 parliamentarians. During campaigning, Tewari effectively highlighted the party’s guarantees such as free water, power and Rs 1 lakh every year to each poor family.