Picking the winner

Aspate of resignations from the Yogi Adityanath government and the defection of the lawmakers to the Samajwadi Party (SP) have given rise to speculation that the BJP might now have to rejig its plans of replacing unpopular MLAs, especially those from the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

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Enquiries with top BJP leaders suggest the party will likely stick to its earlier plan of dropping around 20 per cent of the sitting MLAs but this might no longer apply to the OBC MLAs.

A top party functionary said: "The party replaces such sitting candidates who don't fit into their constituencies' caste composition on parameters of popularity, the public image in recent years, etc. At the same time, the organisation also assesses how much damage a rebel candidate can cause. So, this time we thought that 60-65 sitting MLAs should be dropped or their seats should be changed. Those who fit the caste equation and are wellknown in their areas will continue." He said: “In other parties, candidates may get the ticket merely by pleasing the state president. That is not the case in the BJP. Here, it is the organisation that contests election symbolically. In other parties, candidates contest, with all the means available to them." BJP State Vice-President Daya Shankar Singh said if a candidate was not in a position to win, replacement was necessary. But according to him, there are other considerations too.

"Given the social-engineering factors, when the equations change, one's seat can be changed. Before taking a decision, we analyse not only the candidate but also his rival."

He said in the first phase of the election, “there will be change but not in every district".