COMPETITION AMONG YOUTHS TO CONTEST ELECTIONS

COMPETITION AMONG YOUTHS TO CONTEST ELECTIONS

24-SEP-ENG 17

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA---------------------------There's a competition among young people to contest the assembly elections, with the BJP receiving over five thousand ticket applicants; Patna has the highest number of applications.

The BJP had requested biodata from leaders wishing to contest elections from all its districts and regions. Consequently, the party office has been swamped with biodata. According to reports, over five thousand people have already applied for the BJP.

The dates for the Bihar assembly elections could be announced any time now. Judging by the Election Commission's preparations and political activity, it is speculated that the formal announcement of the elections will be made next month. Consequently, all political parties in the state are busy finalizing their strategies. The BJP has also intensified its internal preparations. The party has called a two-day special meeting to discuss seat sharing and candidate selection.

However, before this, the BJP had requested biodata from leaders wishing to contest elections from all its districts and regions. Consequently, the party office has been swamped with biodata. According to reports, more than five thousand people have applied for BJP tickets so far. This trend continues, with new applications reaching the party headquarters every day.

The majority of these applications are from young people. Most applicants are in the age group of 35 to 45 years. These include active party workers, former MLAs, village council and municipal body representatives, and social workers. This trend indicates that the youth are ready to play a major role in politics this time. Political analysts believe this is a positive sign for the BJP, as new faces can generate enthusiasm and energy among the public.

On the other hand, many people in their 70s are also submitting their biodata. Some of these people have never had the opportunity to contest elections. Now they are seeking tickets for a family member. Interestingly, several senior leaders and workers are also threatening that if they do not receive a ticket, they will join other parties like Jansuraj or contest elections from another party. This could be a challenging situation for the party leadership.

According to a BJP official, the highest number of biodata has been submitted from the Kumhrar and Danapur assembly constituencies in Patna district. The competition for tickets in these constituencies is said to be the most intense. There is talk within the party that new faces may get a chance in assembly constituencies where the current MLAs are older. This is why the number of applications from these constituencies has reached record levels.

It is noteworthy that in the 2020 assembly elections, the BJP contested 110 seats and won 80. At that time, the NDA comprised four parties. However, this time the alliance includes five parties—the BJP, JDU, LJP (Ram Vilas), HAM, and RLSP. The exact number of seats the BJP will contest will become clear in the coming two weeks. However, given the huge number of ticket aspirants, it is clear that the party will have to carefully consider candidate selection.

There is also talk in political circles that several sitting MLAs may lose their tickets this time. Especially those MLAs who have held seats for a long time and are now aging. This is why new contenders are actively coming forward to submit their biodata and strengthen their claims by meeting with senior leaders. Many applicants argue that they have served the party for years and now deserve a chance.

This large number of applications has posed a challenge for the BJP leadership. On one hand, the party is under pressure to give opportunities to young and new faces, while on the other hand, older and senior leaders are also unwilling to give up their claims. If tickets are not distributed in a comprehensive manner, dissatisfaction could lead to losses. Overall, the ticket battle within the Bihar BJP is in full swing. Over five thousand biodata and a huge crowd of contenders indicate tremendous enthusiasm among leaders and workers for the assembly elections. Now, all eyes are on the upcoming BJP meeting and the NDA's seat sharing. It will be interesting to see how the party balances old and new faces and enters the electoral fray.