Amit Shah’s office has reportedly received negative feedback, particularly that workers have lost faith in the BJP’s state leadership.
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah will head for poll-bound Rajasthan next week in a bid to pacify state party workers said to be unhappy with the local brass.
The visit is scheduled for 11 September, immediately after the party’s national executive on 8 and 9 September. Shah will also visit the state on five subsequent days to cover as much ground as possible.
Sources in the party said while the BJP was confident of a good showing in the two other poll-bound states it leads, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, senior leaders are not so sure about Rajasthan.
Shah’s office has reportedly received negative feedback from Rajasthan, particularly that workers have lost faith in the party’s state leadership.
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This has rung alarm bells in the BJP, whose workers played a big part in its victories in the assembly as well as the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
“The state leadership has not been able to pacify the angry worker of the party,” said a senior party leader.
“Shah has to intervene… That is why we have organised meetings of shakti kendras to be attended by every party worker crucial in the polls,” the leader added.
Shakti kendras, a collection of multiple polling booths, are a part of the BJP’s election micromanagement framework. The meetings will reportedly see every level of worker being addressed by Shah
On the tour, which is officially being pegged as routine preparation, workers will be told to keep the house in order and assured that the rest of their grievances will be taken care of, sources said.
“Shah is likely to press upon them that winning polls is more crucial, and the rest will be sorted out by him,” said a source.
Eye on the demography
A broad plan is already afoot, sources said, to prepare a briefing for Shah on the party’s position in the state.
The party has earmarked divisions – a cluster of districts – with each division set to host one shakti kendra meeting. To gauge the ground situation, the sources said, the party will conduct ‘sammelans (gatherings)’ in each district that will be tailored to the local demography.
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“For example, we will have kisan sammelan for Bikaner, and one on education and IT in Kota, ST for Mewar,” the senior party office-bearer said.
“Meanwhile, gatherings of beneficiaries (of state schemes) will be organised alongside,” the leader added, “We are gearing up for the chief’s visit.”
Shah’s first stop is likely to be Jaipur, where he will spend the day “sharing his thoughts and hearing party workers of four districts along with addressing intellectuals, local body representatives and other dignitaries”.
He will then visit the state on 16, 18, 22 and 26 September, with the final trip scheduled for 4 October.