Bawana bypoll: BJP MP Udit Raj to probe party’s defeat

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked party’s MP from Northwest Delhi, Udit Raj, to look into the reasons behind the BJP candidate’s defeat in the Bawana assembly bypoll in Delhi.

Sources said that the by-election result has come as a shock to the party leaders who were confident of victory after winning the municipal corporation elections and the Rajouri Garden assembly bypoll.

“A single-member committee will probe into the issues that led party’s loss. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari had discussed the issue with the MP and asked him to submit a detailed inquiry report,” a senior BJP leader said.

Bawana is part of Udit Raj’s parliamentary constituency. The central leadership had appointed West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma as bypoll incharge, which had raised eyebrows in a section of the party.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Ram Chander defeated BJP’s Ved Parkash by more than 24, 000 votes in the bypoll, the result of which was announced on Monday. Parkash, who had won Bawana seat on AAP’s ticket, deserted his party to join BJP just before the municipal elections in February.

“There were complaints that several leaders, including a few office bearers responsible for the party’s campaign in Bawana, were either missing from the ground or worked against the party interest. Udit Raj will examine these aspects and is likely to submit the report in two-three days. Tiwari has already said that he would also report the matter to his superiors,” said an office bearer privy to the development, adding that there may be some ‘changes’ in the organisation after the report.