KOLKATA: Keeping in mind the 2024 elections, the BJP has identified 19 Lok Sabha constituencies other than the 18 seats that it had won in the 2019 polls.
Sources in the saffron camp said the target has been fixed as it is feared that some of the winning seats cannot be retained in 2024.
Union ministers are visiting the state as part of the party’s special programme, named Prabas, where leaders spend time to gauge the electorates’ mood and BJP’s strength.
Sources in the BJP said the leadership targeted to win 25 out of 42 seats in 2024.
“We failed to perform well in the 2021 Assembly elections in those areas where we did well in the previous Lok Sabha polls. Accepting the fact that we may fail to retain some of the LS seats that we won in 2019, the leadership is now focused on those seats where our candidates either lost with a low margin or we have possibility to win in 2024. We are targeting 25 seats, which include the wining seats in the past elections and new constituencies,” said a BJP leader.
“We received a setback in Junglemahal and there is a possibility of our defeat in Purulia and Jhargram Lok Sabha seats in 2024. Besides, our performance may not be impressive in the areas dominated by Matuas, a Hindu refugee religious sect migrated from Bangladesh.
Matuas extended support after they were promised citizenship through NRC and CAA. Since we could not keep our word, our performance in Ranaghat and Bongaon may not be satisfactory.
Hence, our leadership is focused on the susceptible seats, which are under TMC’s dominance,” said a BJP leader.