In LS polls review report, UP BJP leaders blame officials, Oppn Constitution claims, exam paper leaks

The leak of recruitment exam question papers, the free hand allegedly given to state administration officials, and a division in OBC and Dalit votes because of the Opposition’s campaign on the issues of the Constitution and reservation. These are the reasons the BJP has identified for its poor performance in Uttar Pradesh in the Lok Sabha elections in which its seat tally fell from 62 to 33 while its vote share declined from 49.98% to 41.37%.

Between June 19 and 25, the BJP conducted a review of its performance in 78 constituencies, barring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Varanasi seat and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s constituency Lucknow. Armed with a checklist of 24 questions, teams of senior BJP leaders met the party’s local leaders and public representatives to find out why it lost the seats that it did and why its victory margin came down in several of the constituencies that it retained.

Sources said meetings between the UP BJP’s office-bearers and RSS functionaries on the election results were held and the Singh’s inputs were taken into account. The state unit has compiled its report and it is expected to be submitted to the central leadership this week.

A senior BJP functionary associated with the review said, “The Opposition’s campaign on Constitution and reservation, the distress caused by paper leaks and unemployment, and disappointment among BJP workers because of neglect and insult by local administrations caused the maximum damage.”

“Ultimately the onus is on the organisation because elections are contested by a political party and not the government. But the voter votes according to the performance of the government and not the political party,” said the leader.

Asked what the review found about why several