Four pillars fell, so roof came down on BJP in west Delhi

NEW DELHI: While BJP is yet to analyse the reasons for its debacle in the assembly polls, party members say it lost west Delhi constituencies due to "external factors". BJP's defeat in all these constituencies by huge margins has taken local party workers by surprise. The biggest loss was the Janakpuri seat. BJP member Jagdish Mukhi, who had represented the area since 1979 till 2013, has lost this seat to AAP's Rajesh Rishi by 25,580 votes. The constituency has a sizeable Punjabi population, especially traders, who might have supported AAP this time, say BJP workers.

The constituency has a sizable poorvanchali population. However, the community seemed to be disillusioned with the party over the ticket distribution process. There are six poorvanchali-dominated constituencies in west Delhi --Vikaspuri, Dwarka, Uttam Nagar, Madipur and parts of Matiala and Janakpuri. But the party gave tickets to just three poorvanchali candidates in entire Delhi.

"The community is upset that BJP didn't field many poorvanchali candidates. The impact is visible," said a senior BJP member.

Another major setback for the BJP is the loss of Sikh votes. Though it had lost Hari Nagar and Tilak Nagar, which have a high percentage of Sikh voters, in the last elections, this time it has lost these two constituencies by huge margins--26,496 and 19,890 votes, respectively . Dera Sacha Sauda's last-minute support to BJP could have upset the Sikhs, who traditionally backed the saffron party .

"The BJP was hoping to win these two seats back. But the margin by which we have lost the two is shocking," said a party member.

The Najafgarh seat also slipped out of BJP's grasp. After its victory in Haryana, the party was hoping to win this Jat-dominated seat. But Centre's decision on land acquisition Bill and party's decision to appoint a non-Jat CM in Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar, spoiled its chances here.