National News: Political activity is intensifying for the Bihar Assembly elections. Negotiations regarding seat-sharing between political alliances are in a crucial phase. Meanwhile, reports suggest that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a key ally of the ruling NDA in the state, is preparing to make a major decision in Bihar before the elections. It is being claimed that the BJP is preparing to change approximately 30% of its candidates for the Bihar Assembly elections.
The BJP is engaged in a debate about replacing 30% of its old candidates. If this happens, new candidates could also get a chance in the Bihar elections. Local-level surveys, ground feedback, advanced age, and anti-incumbency factors may be factors in ticket denials and newcomers. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will begin his visit to Bihar a day later, on September 18th.
Tickets of sitting MLAs will also be cut.
The saffron party is preparing to change assembly candidates on a large scale in the Bihar assembly elections to be held next month. According to sources associated with the party, tickets of about 15-20 sitting MLAs can be cut this time in the elections. Not only this, 13 candidates who faced defeat in the 2020 elections will also not be given a chance to contest again. In this way, new faces can be fielded on about 30 to 35 percent of the seats in this election as compared to the last election.
Sources say that in this regard, BJP has made a strategy to reduce anti-incumbency by contesting the assembly elections with the help of new, clean and young candidates. According to information received from sources, this time the party has set several criteria for ticket distribution.
Lost in close matches
According to the information received, there are 6 current BJP MLAs in Bihar whose age is above 70 years. In the 2020 elections, the margin of victory and defeat on 6 seats was less than 3 thousand votes, while on 8 seats this margin was below 2 thousand votes. Similarly, on 13 seats, BJP candidates lost by more than 11 thousand votes. In such cases, changes in the party’s ticket distribution are almost certain.
seat by seat detailed investigation
As in previous elections, the BJP is going to conduct the process of selecting its candidates in Bihar with utmost caution. In keeping with the BJP’s working style and procedures, approximately 4-5 potential names are being sought from each assembly constituency. The state election committee will discuss these names and finalize them, then send 2-3 options to the Central Election Committee in Delhi.
The special thing is that before deciding the candidates, the organization will give importance to parameters like its survey report, feedback of district presidents and performance in previous elections. Sources associated with the party say that this issue will be closely examined during the visit of Home Minister Amit Shah a day later.
Focus on election winning candidates
Key members of the BJP organization believe that ticket allocation will be based on criteria such as age, performance, and activism. The party is clear that candidates will be changed as needed, but the primary focus is on selecting winning candidates. This is why incumbent MLAs are being closely monitored and young and new faces are being prioritized to break the anti-incumbency factor.
The deliberations on election preparations and ticket distribution strategy have already begun at the top level. Last week on Saturday, party president JP Nadda reviewed the core committee meeting in Patna. Now Union Home Minister Amit Shah will preside over regional meetings in Patna on 18 and 27 September. The party has divided Bihar into 5 zones and scrutiny of candidates will be carried forward in these meetings.
Sources related to the party say that Home Minister Amit Shah is going to hold continuous zonal organisational meetings in Bihar. In these meetings, the electoral mathematics of the area and the names of assembly wise candidates will be discussed.
