UP chief minister and BSP president Mayawati’s announcement that all sitting party MLAs would be renominated for the next Assembly elections may have sent cheer among the MLAs but it has caused considerable concern among party managers who feel that the statement is not only ill-timed but could also adversely affect the party’s image. For the chief minister, the decision is a double-edged sword that will cause more damage than good to her party.
The chief minister, at a party meeting on Monday, had categorically stated that all BSP MLAs would be renominated for the next Assembly elections. She further stated that Opposition parties were deliberately trying to create a wrong perception about MLAs having criminal antecedents. “This is aimed at creating instability in the government. The fact is that some MLAs may have a criminal past but they have not done anything after joining the BSP and I will not get trapped in the opposition game plan,” she said.
Senior BSP leaders feel that the chief minister’s statement is basically aimed at keeping her flock together and when assembly elections are finally announced, Ms Mayawati would put a large number of sitting MLAs on the chopping block. Her statement, however, brings cheer to those legislators who face a high anti-incumbency factor in their respective constituencies and are already unpopular among their voters.
“There are over four dozen such legislators whose performance in their own constituencies has been rated as being below average by party coordinators. Fielding these MLAs again would be detrimental to party interests. In any case, every party makes its own assessment about sitting MLAs before renominating them and we hope the BSP leadership will follow the same rule,” stated a senior party leader.
Meanwhile, contrary to the chief minister’s assertion, a large number of BSP MLAs have been making headlines for breaking the law in recent months. Though the chief minister may not immediately initiate action against these legislators since that would lower her numerical strength in the state assembly, she will not be able to turn a blind eye to their deeds when elections are announced.