The BJP is set to revamp its candidate roster for the forthcoming Bihar assembly elections, with a potential 30% change in faces. This strategic decision is influenced by a detailed assessment of various factors, including local surveys, ground-level insights, age considerations, and evaluations of incumbent performance to address anti-incumbency. Central Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to begin his visit to Bihar on September 18 to oversee the preparations.
The party’s plan includes potentially replacing 30% of its existing candidates. This means that a significant number of sitting MLAs, possibly 15-20, may not receive tickets. Furthermore, the party is unlikely to renominate the 13 candidates who experienced defeats in the 2020 elections. This could mean that a substantial 30-35% of the candidates in this election will be new faces. The party aims to bring in new, clean, and young candidates to combat anti-incumbency.
The party is meticulously analyzing each constituency, requesting 4-5 potential candidate names for each seat. The state election committee will discuss the names and forward 2-3 options to the central election committee in Delhi. The selection process will prioritize factors like past performance, feedback from district presidents, and survey reports. The focus is on selecting candidates with a strong chance of winning, taking into account the performance of current MLAs, while simultaneously prioritizing youth and fresh faces to tackle anti-incumbency.