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In a surprising turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024, featuring a notable absence of four controversial Members of Parliament. The excluded names include Parvesh Verma, Jayant Sinha, Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, and Ramesh Bidhuri, signaling a strategic shift by the BJP high command.
Controversial MPs Absent from BJP’s Initial Lok Sabha 2024 Candidates List. The BJP’s decision to replace 33 sitting MPs with fresh faces underscores a deliberate move away from controversial figures. Notable among the exclusions is Parvesh Verma, son of former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma, Jayant Sinha, the former Union minister and Hazaribagh MP, Sadhvi Pragya Thakur, known for her controversial statements, and Ramesh Bidhuri, who allegedly made communal remarks in Parliament.
Changes in Delhi’s Political Landscape
The BJP has made significant changes in its candidates for Delhi, replacing four sitting MPs. Praveen Khandelwal now stands as the BJP’s candidate from Chandani Chowk Lok Sabha seat, replacing two-term MP Harsh Vardhan. Kamaljeet Sehrawat takes over the West Delhi seat from Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, and Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, steps into the New Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, currently held by Meenakshi Lekhi. In South Delhi, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri replaces Ramesh Bidhuri.
Notable Absences and Their Replacements
Sadhvi Pragya Thakur
Replacement: Alok Sharma for the Bhopal seat in Madhya Pradesh.
Despite her victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Thakur’s tenure has been marked by controversies, including remarks on Hemant Karkare and praising Nathuram Godse.
Ramesh Bidhuri
Replacement: Kamaljeet Sehrawat for the West Delhi constituency.
Bidhuri recently stirred controversy with derogatory remarks in Parliament, leading to a show-cause notice from BJP president JP Nadda.
Parvesh Verma
Replacement: Kamaljeet Sehrawat for the West Delhi constituency.
Verma’s exclusion follows previous condemnation of his remarks calling for an “economic boycott” of a particular community.
Jayant Sinha
Replacement: Manish Jaiswal for the Hazaribag Lok Sabha seat.
Sinha, son of former union minister Yashwant Sinha, faced controversy for providing financial assistance to accused individuals in a lynching case.
