The record-breaking win in the Gujarat assembly election was the BJP’s saving grace. Senior party leaders are of the view that if it wasn’t for the BJP’s win in Gujarat, then a negative campaign had been created in the media over the results. The MCD and Himachal Pradesh results would have made them come up with headlines like this: ‘Second defeat for BJP in 24 hours’. But the massive victory in Gujarat ended the party’s headline tension.
Modi’s working style
What happened in Gujarat after BJP’s win is called Modi’s style of work and vision. Everyone in the party has been told to adopt it. The vision is that the committee to appoint the legislature party leader must have Rajnath Singh as the senior most leader as well as BS Yediurappa and Arjun Munda as members. Karnataka will go to polls in April so Yediurappa must get prominence. And Arjun Munda? Well, Gujarat has a lot of Adivasi seats and also because Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, which have many Adivasi voters, are going to polls next year. It means even the legislature party committee is being formed with long-term politics in mind.
Shakuni book
Word on the street is that a senior BJP leader is in search of someone who is well-versed in Mahabharata. The reason is Shakuni. Yes, a book on this character from Mahabharata is supposedly on the cards, which could be released before the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Why the timing is anybody’s guess.
Courage is needed
The story is from the day of the results. The fact that the Congress was headed for trouble was visible from the get-go. Himachal Pradesh was turning out to be a solace but the hearts in the party camp were beating fast. Some were even suggesting that weak hearts should avoid when the BJP was seen gaining. Just then the door bell of a general secretary rang. The call was from the national president’s office, seeking feedback. The staff, before transferring the call, communicated to their aide that the president wanted to talk to the general secretary, who relayed the same feeling. Weak hearts should avoid watching the result for a while.
Bharat Agrawal is Executive Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group, and a columnist.
By special arrangement with Dainik Bhaskar. Translated and edited by Prashant from the original in Hindi.
(Edited by Prashant)