Lok Sabha Elections 2024: One in Four BJP Candidates Has Defected From Other Parties

New Delhi: The phrase 'Ayaram Gayaram' is very popular in politics. The phrase, which denotes politicians constantly shifting their party loyalties near elections, gained prominence in the 1960s. The term is becoming more and more relevant in this year's Lok Sabha elections.  Several states, including Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, have witnessed a wave of defections. 

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Of the 417 candidates in this year's elections, 116 have defected to the BJP. One out of every four BJP candidates has defected from another party. 

Where did the BJP's 116 candidates come from?
Congress: 37
BRS: 9
BSP: 8
Trinamool: 7
BJD: 6
NCP: 6
SP: 6
AIADMK: 4
AAP: 2
Others: 31

Candidates' reasons for quitting the Congress

• Opposition to the Ram Temple, Sanatan Dharma is not tolerated.
• Influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national ideology.
• There is no one else at the party except one family. It's hard to reach out to leaders.
• The internal bureaucracy in the party is over, there is no one to listen to the workers.

 

Defection Math

• 68.9% of the candidates defected in the 1977 elections.
• 66.7 per cent of BJP defectors won in 2014.
• In 2019, 56.5 per cent of the winning candidates were from the BJP. 
• 14.9% is the average in the 2019 election.
• 9.5 per cent was for Congress candidates.
• 5 percent of the winning candidates are from the Congress.
• 5.3 per cent of defective candidates were from the Congress.
• 5.3 per cent of defective candidates won the BJP in 2019.