The BJP may use Sultanpur MP’s Scandalous Image as an Excuse to Replace him with a Better and More Committed Leader.
The seemingly inexorable, inevitable ‘Modi Wave’ has come to a standstill with BJP’s defeat in 2015 Bihar Assembly Elections. Regardless of the momentous victory scored in Maharashtra, Assam and Haryana state assembly elections, the party comes out faceless in the battleground of UP polls- the mother of all elections in North India. BJP is yet to declare its CM contender in UP. Though media houses are projecting Varun Gandhi as chief ministerial candidate for BJP, the high command wants to settle for an old hand. Varun’s recent ‘honey-trap’ controversy, in reality, is a blessing in disguise for senior leaders, who want to replace him with an intelligent, charismatic and reliable candidate.
What do Opinion Polls Say?
In a survey conducted by ETV UP, Varun emerged victorious with 51% ratings whereas other ‘known’ faces like Rajnath (28%), Yogi Adityanath (8%) and Smriti Irani (1%) were far behind him! Polls conducted by Amar Ujala and India Today painted more or less the same picture.
But The Public Thinks Otherwise….
Despite the favourable results of opinion polls, the public doesn’t seem to favour Varun, a lot. Calling him ‘a loose cannon’, one of the Quora users accused him for ‘stooping down to cheap politics’. The natives of Uttar Pradesh clearly feel Varun is in a wrong profession, because politics isn’t his cup of tea. Should Varun contest for the big job, he MUST develop sound political knowledge and come up with legitimate facts while addressing the rally.
Why the Party Needs to Stop Projecting Varun as Their CM Candidate?
- His Controversial Statements in Public
Varun keenly patronizes the ‘Freedom of Speech’ to an extent that he stopped making sense, after a while. He was severely criticized for a alleged hate speech against Muslims in a meeting at Pilibhit (2013). A case was filed against him but he was later acquitted by the court.
- His Close Association with RSS
Varun’s closeness with RSS patrons is a threat to BJP’s secular image in UP, which is dominated by Muslim population. Though he shares cordial relationships with senior leaders, he doesn’t accord much important to neither state workers nor local leaders, who’re indisposed towards him.
- The ‘Gandhi’ Surname
‘Gandhi’ surname is rapidly losing popularity, considering its name bearers are neck-deep in scams and scandals. He comes from a strong, well-off political background and carries the impression of being hostile toward fellow party leaders. He certainly has ‘behavioural issues’ that do not favour him.
- His Inclination towards Family and ‘Leftist’ Ideologies
Things are improving between the ‘Gandhi siblings’, which is an alarming sign for the party. The Nehru-Gandhi scion doesn’t seem to posses the old ‘rude, bashful’ sentiment towards Gandhis, unlike his mother. In last few months, he has take a sharp leftward turn, which highlights his inconsistent nature.
- His Resentment towards Shah
Trust deficit between BJP president Amit Shah and Varun Gandhi is a matter of concern for BJP. Ever since Varun had contradicted party’s statement by revealing there were about 50,000 people in one of Modi’s public rallies in Bengal, he’s neither in the good books of Shah, nor the current Prime Minister.
- The Fresh ‘Honey-Trap’ Controversy
The most significant hurdle in Varun’s way to become the CM candidate in the upcoming 2017 UP elections is the latest ‘honey trap’ controversy. He allegedly leaked defence secrets to middleman and arms manufacturer Abhishek Verma, a charge he evidently denies. Verma is said to blackmail Gandhi with ‘scandalous images and clips of him with foreign sex-workers in various compromising positions’. The incident has completely demolished his supposedly ‘clean’ image in public.
The party may not favour him in this controversy, after all, they’ve been dealing with his independent/rebellious nature for long. The senior cadre can use the ‘honey trap’ controversy as an excuse to substitute junior Gandhi with other seasoned and ‘down-to-earth’ leaders like state president Keshav Prasad Maurya, who’re likely to bring in more votes to BJP.
