Lucknow: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in Uttar Pradesh is expected to drop half a dozen more sitting MPs, known for their ‘under-performance’.
The party is yet to announce candidates on 12 seats in the state.
According to sources, the BJP has gathered inputs on its MPs’ performances with the help of grassroots functionaries, including those from RSS.
Earlier, it had dropped 9 of the 11 sitting MPs in its second list of candidates in the state.
The performance of MPs is expected to play a role in deciding their candidature, party sources said.
About half a dozen MPs out of 12 are under scrutiny of the BJP brass over their alleged “unsatisfactory” performance.
Of the 12 remaining seats, BJP had won 9 seats – Kaushambhi, Prayagraj, Kaiserganj, Machhlishahr, Deoria, Phulpur, Bhadohi, Firozabad, and Ballia – in 2019.
Mainpuri, Rae Bareli, and Ghosi were won by SP, Congress and BSP, respectively.
The main focus is on Kaiserganj which is represented by former Wrestling Federation president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been embroiled in allegations of sexual harassment by women wrestlers.
The BJP could nominate his wife, Ketki Singh, or their son Prateek Bhushan Singh, who is an MLA from Gonda.
However, party sources said Brij Bhushan has been in touch with the BJP brass and is confident of getting the ticket for himself.
Prayagraj MP Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who will turn 75 on July 22 this year, is also likely to be dropped. She had earlier announced that she would not contest the 2024 elections.
The BJP has already sidelined its eight-time MP from Bareilly, Santosh Gangwar, on account of his advanced age.
BJP MP from Ballia, Virendra Singh, is under the scanner ever since he announced the construction of an auditorium in the name of SP patriarch and party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav in 2022.
“The MPs who have been denied a ticket or are expected to be denied in the future would be engaged in organisational work,” said a UP BJP spokesperson.
The BJP is contesting 75 out of 80 seats in UP, leaving the remaining five for its allies -two each for RLD and Apna Dal (S) and one for SBSP.
IANS
Mamata Banerjee accuses ECI of selectively ‘targeting’ minority voters in Bengal
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Friday, accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of deliberately targeting the minority voters for deletion through the ongoing Special Intensive Revision...
Safe use of roads integral part of right to life under Article 21, says Haryana human rights panel
Chandigarh: The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC), taking a firm stand on issues related to road safety, has categorically held that the safe use of public roads by citizens is...
Coal-fired power declines in India, China as use of green energy surges
New Delhi: Coal-fired power generation decline in both China and India in 2025 for the first time since the 1970s, as the two countries switched to non-fossil energy sources such...
Had Cong taken strict stand against communalism 77 years ago, it would not have been ousted from power: Jamiat chief
New Delhi: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President Arshad Madani has launched a sharp attack on the Congress party, questioning its historical approach to communalism and asserting that a failure to act decisively...
US courts fault ICE detentions of Indian nationals
Washington: US federal courts across multiple states have ruled against immigration authorities in a series of cases involving Indian nationals, finding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unlawfully detained them...
25 pc US tariffs over trading with Iran: What it means for India
New Delhi: India, which is already facing steep 50 per cent US tariffs, is likely to be affected, among other countries trading with Iran, after US President Donald Trump announced...
SC questions attitude of those feeding stray dogs in public places
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the attitude of people and organisations that feed stray dogs in public places, asking whether their compassion is limited to animals and...
US lawmaker introduces bill for Greenland’s ‘annexation and statehood’
Washington: Republican Congressman Randy Fine has formally introduced the 'Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act', a legislation aimed at giving the Trump administration a legal authority to pursue annexation and eventual...
‘Mumbai for Mumbaikar’ vs ‘modern and dynamic capital’ as BMC fight intensifies for Thackerays, Fadnavis-Shinde
Mumbai: As Mumbai gears up for the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections on January 15, the battle for Asia’s richest civic body has intensified. The Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and...
Maha war of manifestos: Ajit Pawar promises free bus, metro rides; BJP hits back
Pune: The political atmosphere in Pune has escalated to a critical juncture as Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and the BJP's top guns, including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Higher...
‘Weakness of China’s domestic economy is hidden in massive trade surplus’
New Delhi: While China has accumulated a massive trade surplus of $1 trillion which is often seen as a reflection of the Asian giant as a manufacturing powerhouse, the truth...
Venezuelan acting president vows to realize return of Maduro, his wife
Caracas: Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez pledged to realize the return of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were seized by the United States on January 3....
