BJP may drop over half of its MLAs in Rajasthan to counter anti-incumbency

NEW DELHI: BJP is contemplating dropping more than half of its sitting legislators in Rajasthan in an attempt to cushion its prospects in the forthcoming assembly polls from the discontent against incumbent MLAs.

Well-placed party sources said 80-100 of the 160 sitting MLAs might be replaced in what could arguably be the biggest-ever political culling of incumbent MLAs belonging to any party.

The party move is also intended to send a message to lawmakers in other states as well as members of the Lok Sabha about the risk of being dropped on the basis of feedback about their performance which is being gathered, apart from traditional channels, through PM Narendra Modi’s Namo app.

The app is being increasingly used by people to give feedback on the performance of their representatives directly to the PM.

Voters could be revengeful as several MLAs continued passing the buck and didn’t serve the electorate as per expectations,” said a source privy to the decision to replace amajority of sitting MLAs.

Sources said the party will field young first-time candidates to stem anti-incumbency as new faces who have been involved in serving the people for years can water down the anger among people and assure them of a better performance.

Performance is a major issue in BJP deciding new candidates but changing caste equations in the state are an equally important factor to replace existing MLAs.

The Rajput community, traditional BJP supporters, seems to be drifting towards Congress whereas the Meenas in eastern Rajasthan are veering towards BJP after community leader Kirori Lal joined the party recently and was made a Rajya Sabha MP.