The state review meet of the BJP was meant to discuss the reasons for the party’s failure in the 2009 general elections. But the meeting on Monday turned out to be a damper with most of candidates who fought the elections staying away. Even BJP national president and Ghaziabad MP Rajnath Singh preferred to skip the meeting.

Apart from state president Ramapati Ram Tripathi and the UP election in charge Kalraj Mishra, none of the national leaders, including national general secretary and former UP in charge Arun Jaitley and national general secretary and Ambedkar Nagar candidate Vinay Katiyar were present.

Of the 80 candidates expected at the meeting, only 34, including four winners, were present. On the absence of Rajnath Singh, a candidate said, “After our defeat, our national president seems to be shying away from facing us here in UP.”

“After his win, he hasn’t visited the Lucknow office even once although he was invited several times. Today’s absence is only adding fuel to the fire of disgruntlement among the candidates and party leadership alike,” the candidate, who did not want to be named, said.

With the meet being reduced to a narration of complaints, the party concluded it by declaring that all suggestions were welcome and a state executive meeting was slated for July to deliberate on them.