Political career of Pragya Thakur, acquitted in Malegaon blast case, may not witness resurgence despite acquittal, claim BJP officials.
Pragya Singh Thakur, a former BJP MP from Bhopal, may not be making a comeback to politics in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This decision, according to senior BJP functionaries in Bhopal, is due to a combination of factors, including her controversial statements, poor voter connect, and health condition.
Thakur was launched in electoral politics by the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, primarily to challenge Congress veteran Digvijay Singh. Despite being declared a candidate at the last moment and campaigning for less than a week, she managed to defeat the Congress stalwart by a huge margin, fulfilling the BJP's purpose. However, her political career has been marred by repeated controversies.
Her statements urging people to keep weapons at home and comparing a respected ATS officer to negative mythological figures hurt her image within the party and the electorate. These factors combined led senior BJP leaders to see her as lacking electoral viability and political capital, thus describing her career trajectory as sagging.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's displeasure was one of the reasons for Thakur's denial of a ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Her frequent controversial remarks, including praise of Nathuram Godse and disparaging comments about Hemant Karkare, caused trouble within the party, including displeasure from the Prime Minister.
Thakur's controversial behavior also caused embarrassment to the BJP. Her frequent 'tongue-in-cheek' remarks caused unnecessary controversies, embarrassing the party. The BJP found it very challenging to handle Thakur due to her behavior.
Thakur's health condition is another major factor that may prevent her from staging a comeback in politics. Insurmountable odds are working against her comeback, according to some senior BJP leaders in Bhopal. It is suggested that she may end up as a one-time MP and may never stage a comeback to politics.
The BJP utilized Thakur's candidature to create a saffron wave in the constituencies surrounding Bhopal in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. However, her lack of connection with voters and perceived poor performance played a role in denying her an election ticket. The BJP wanted to ensure the defeat of Digvijay Singh by a political novice.
Thakur was acquitted in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, but this does not seem to have been a factor in the BJP's decision to deny her a ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The information does not attribute this view to any recent development post-acquittal or the legal controversies surrounding the Malegaon case. Instead, it is her longstanding issues with voter connect and controversial public behavior that have contributed to the view among BJP insiders that her political appeal has diminished.
[1] Source: Unnamed senior BJP leaders in Bhopal.
- Thakur's political career, marked by controversial statements and poor voter connect, may prevent her from returning to politics, even in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as suggested by unnamed senior BJP leaders in Bhopal.
- Despite the BJP's decision to field Thakur in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to create a saffron wave, her perceived poor performance and lack of connection with voters might have contributed to her denial of a ticket for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
- Thakur's controversial behavior, such as praising Nathuram Godse and disparaging comments about Hemant Karkare, and her health condition have been the primary factors influencing the BJP's decision regarding her political future, as reported by unnamed senior BJP leaders in Bhopal.
