BJP Lok Sabha Candidates List: “There is no doubt that leaders such as Pragya Thakur, Ramesh Bidhuri, and Parvesh Verma embarrassed the party with their provocative statements,” a BJP leader stated.
In the BJP’s first list, a message against MPs who made hate speech headlines.
Pragya Thakur, Ramesh Bidhuri, and Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma have been replaced on the BJP list.
New Delhi: As the BJP unveiled its initial list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, some omissions jumped out more than others. These include firebrand leader Pragya Thakur and Delhi MPs Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma and Ramesh Bidhuri.
The three leaders have made headlines for their provocative remarks both within and outside of Parliament, and the BJP’s decision to withdraw them sends a message that the party is not taking any chances ahead of an election in which it will face a combined opposition.
In Bhopal, the BJP has replaced Pragya Thakur with Alok Sharma. The firebrand commander, who was charged in the 2008 Malegaon bombs case, was previously nominated, which generated a tremendous outcry. In the five years after then, she has been involved in a number of issues. Ms Thakur, who is out on bail on health reasons, has been seen playing kabaddi and attending garba evenings. But the scandal that may have affected her the most is a speech in which she referred to Nathuram Godse, the man who murdered Mahatma Gandhi, as a “patriot”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded sternly to the comment. “The statements spoken regarding Gandhiji or Nathuram Godse are extremely harmful and detrimental to society. She has asked for an apology, but I will never be able to forgive her completely,” he stated. Five years later, Ms Thakur has lost her seat.
Ms Thakur was at the center of another controversy for her comments on former Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who died in the 2008 terror attacks. She claimed he was slain because of her “curse”. According to party sources, the firebrand leader was not engaged in her constituency, which contributed significantly to her removal.
West Delhi MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma was notably absent from the BJP list, which startled many. He is a two-time MP and the son of the late Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, who has a large following. However, the 46-year-old leader has been in the spotlight for his provocative remarks.
Prior to the 2020 Delhi elections, Mr Verma made contentious remarks during the Shaheen Bagh demonstration, claiming that if the BJP won control in the national capital, the demonstrators would be cleared in an hour.
Mr Verma made headlines again in 2022, this time for a public boycott appeal that appeared to target Muslims. “Wherever you see them, if you want to repair their heads and set them straight, the only remedy is a complete boycott. “Raise your hand if you agree,” the BJP MP stated.
The BJP has set clear targets for the 2024 elections. It wants to keep the spotlight on Prime Minister Modi’s ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ call and does not want its leaders to make statements that will be used by the opposition and disgrace the ruling party.
Ramesh Bidhuri, a South Delhi MP, may have also been removed for his remarks. During a Lok Sabha debate in September last year, Mr Bidhuri hurled Islamophobic remarks against Amroha MP Danish Ali. The nasty statements were caught on camera and provoked a massive outcry. While the South Delhi MP eventually apologised, the BJP’s first list showed that it was inadequate.
Other famous Delhi MPs who have been dropped include Meenakshi Lekhi and Harsh Vardhan. The BJP, which won every seat in the national capital in the 2019 elections, will confront a joint opposition this time. The AAP is vying for four seats, while the Congress is battling three. Bansuri, the daughter and lawyer of late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, has been fielded from New Delhi.
According to BJP sources, a variety of factors are examined when selecting candidates. “Winnability is quite crucial. “Many MPs were found to be unpopular in their constituencies,” a party leader stated.
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“But there is no doubt that leaders like Pragya Thakur, Ramesh Bidhuri, and Parvesh Verma humiliated the party by making aggressive statements. Denial of tickets also communicates the message that in public life, decorum must be maintained. The Prime Minister has previously advised party leaders on multiple times not to make contentious statements, according to the BJP leader.
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A total of 33 incumbent MPs did not make the BJP’s first list of 195 candidates. Among the prominent names that have made it to the poll arena are former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
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