The 2023 Assembly Elections in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh are drawing near, and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is reportedly considering implementing the “Gujarat formula” as a strategy to secure another term in power. The party, which has been in power in the state for the past 15 years, is said to be evaluating its key players and may field new candidates in addition to cutting the tickets of some senior MLAs. This follows a similar strategy employed by the BJP in the previous Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh elections, where they denied tickets to lawmakers above 70 years of age.
The implementation of the “70-pass formula” could potentially affect several senior BJP leaders, including former Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh, as well as Nankiram Kanwar, Punnulal Mohle, and Vidyartan Bhasin, among others. This move is aimed at giving young, local favorites a chance to represent the party in the upcoming elections and bring in fresh talent. The BJP is expected to alter their seat distribution strategy as well, in order to accommodate new faces and bring in change to the state.
In the previous Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh elections, the BJP’s decision to deny tickets to lawmakers above 70 years of age was aimed at rejuvenating the party and bringing in younger candidates. This move received mixed reactions, with some supporting the party’s efforts to bring in fresh talent and others criticizing it as age discrimination. The BJP Central Committee reportedly discussed cutting tickets for lawmakers above 70 years of age before the Lok Sabha elections as well, and many new faces were given a chance.
In Chhattisgarh, the BJP is reportedly facing internal pressure to give new faces a chance in the upcoming assembly elections. The party is said to be continuously moving towards change in the state and may field new candidates, who are expected to bring in new ideas and energy to the party. While the party may grant tickets to lawmakers above 70 years of age in certain circumstances, it ultimately depends on their popularity and credibility in the state.
