‘PM should apologise for thrusting wrong MPs’: Opposition after sitting legislators dropped in BJP’s first list of Lok Sabha candidates

The Congress on Saturday questioned the BJP’s first list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, citing the omission of several incumbent members, and demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the BJP had forced “incompetent” MPs upon the public over the past five years.

The BJP unveiled its first list of candidates, featuring Modi contesting from Varanasi, Home Minister Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from Lucknow. Notably, the list comprised 34 Union ministers and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Despite minimal surprises, Delhi witnessed the exclusion of four sitting MPs, including Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi and former Union Minister Harsh Vardhan.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera expressed skepticism about Prime Minister Modi’s influence, questioning the denial of party tickets to certain incumbent MPs and suggesting a potential decline in Modi’s charisma.

“We don’t know their reasons but we do understand that several people want to maintain distance from the BJP,” he said.

“Why cancel the ticket? Were these MPs useless? If they were incompetent, then the BJP should apologize to the voters on whom such ‘incompetent’ MPs were imposed. Can’t the magic of Modi ji’s name make Meenakshi Lekhi, Pragya Thakur, Ramesh Bidhuri, Pravesh Verma win this time,” Khera asked in a post in Hindi on X.

“Then a list of 195 candidates came and tickets of several sitting MPs were cut. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should tell why such people were made MPs for the last five years. Were they so incompetent that they are not fielded again by the party. The PM should apologise to the people for thrusting such wrong persons as MPs,” Khera said in a video message posted on X.

Khera also said Modi has so much self confidence that elections are won in his name. “He should tell whether Pragya Thakur, Meenakshi Lekhi or Ramesh Biduri are unable to win on your name.

“What is the pressure of Teni on the PM that he was fielded once again even after his son ‘crushed’ farmers under his jeep. Has he been rewarded and whether you hate farmers so much that Teni is given a ticket again, PM should tell. Several such questions crop up after the first list of BJP and whether this is the “400 paar list” (above 400 seats),” the Congress leader asked.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav too criticized the BJP’s first candidates list, suggesting it indicates an acknowledgment of defeat.

Yadav, in a post in X, claimed that the BJP’s list includes candidates for the 195 seats where they perceive a slim chance of victory, implying they’ve conceded on other seats. He also alleged that the BJP resorted to retaining sitting MPs out of fear of rebellion, despite their lack of performance or alleged involvement in corruption.

“BJP’s first list is a declaration of the party’s hopelessness,” Yadav said.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday said, “The BJP has opted not to field four prominent party figures in Delhi—namely Ramesh Bidhuri, Parvesh Verma, Meenakshi Lekhi, or Gautam Gambhir. This decision signifies the BJP’s acknowledgement that its MPs have failed to make significant strides on the ground and lack visibility among the populace. Whenever the people required the Central government’s support, their representatives in Parliament were absent.”

The Election Commission of India is anticipated to unveil the poll schedule later this month, with elections projected to take place in April-May. Despite securing 303 seats in the 2019 polls, the BJP presently holds 290 seats in the Lok Sabha. This decline in numbers is attributed to various factors, including the recent resignations of some MPs following victories in assembly polls.