Bypolls loss: BJP to go for major rejig in UP

The BJP in Uttar Pradesh is likely to undergo a major organisational overhaul in the wake of humiliating losses in the recently concluded Lok Sabha bypolls at Gorakhpur, Phulpur and Kairana constituencies.

According to state BJP sources here, the central leadership is in favour of bringing young leaders to the fore in the organisation and that some old faces are likely to be shown the door.

A senior UP BJP leader said that the party had received feedback from its district units on the reasons of its loss in the three Lok Sabha and one Assembly bypolls in the state.

''A major overhauling at the organisational level, especially in the districts in the western and eastern region of the state is imminent,'' said the BJP leader while speaking to Deccan Herald here.

The leader added that caste equations would be kept in mind in the rejig.

Sources said that the saffron party leadership was particularly perturbed by the defeat in Kairana and Noorpur Assembly bypoll as it signalled a realignment of the electoral equations in the 'Jat-Muslim' belt owing to the revival of Ajit Singh led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

''A revival of the RLD could spell trouble for us... as it may result in shifting of the Jat voters away from us to the RLD,'' he added.

Sources said that the saffron party is also likely to take those state ministers to task in whose Assembly segments the party had faced losses. ''Many local leaders have demanded the removal of all such ministers,'' the leader said.

He said that the BJP central leadership would take a decision about the rejig by next month as not much time is left for the next General Elections in 2019.