New Delhi: Weeks after its decisive victory in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP is back in election mode — this time for assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain its mascot and star campaigner, senior party functionaries believe the “dynamics” of assembly polls are different and authorities in these states have been asked to highlight not only the work done by the Modi government but also the state administrations.
“Our party did well in all the three states in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls but dynamics of the assembly polls are different. Cadres in all these states have been asked to highlight the work done by the first Modi government and schemes such as the Ayushman Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. They have also been asked to highlight achievements of the state governments,” a senior BJP functionary, who did not wish to be named, said.
Union Home Minister and BJP President Amit Shah Sunday chaired a meeting with representatives of the three states to chalk out strategies for the upcoming polls and take stock of the current political scenario. The meeting was attended by chief ministers of Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra – Manohar Lal Khattar, Raghubar Das and Devendra Fadnavis respectively.
The BJP is in power in all the states. In Maharashtra, it is in alliance with the Shiv Sena while in Jharkhand the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) is its ally.
Another senior BJP functionary, who did not wish to be identified, said the “marathon meeting” discussed a number of issues including threats of anti-incumbency in these states.
On war footing
The BJP leadership has also asked the three state governments to hold subsequent meetings with allies and experts in the days leading up to the elections, said another senior leader of the party. Issues such as water shortage, a major problem in the three states, are also to be “fixed” before the upcoming polls, the leader added.
“The cadre had worked tirelessly in the Lok Sabha polls. But a roadmap is already in place for the next couple of months for them to work on,” said yet another BJP leader.
The state units of the saffron party have been asked to ready specific programmes involving locals and setup meetings of ‘panna pramukhs’, ‘mandal pramukhs’ and booth incharges.
“After the results of the general elections, these assembly polls will be the first that the party will be fighting and we need to keep up the winning streak. Issues and voting patterns are completely different in assembly elections. Our cadre has been asked to take up door-to-door campaigns and make sure that achievements of the Centre and state governments are highlighted so as to remain in power in these states,” said another BJP leader.
Governments in the three states have been asked to plug any loophole in order to ensure all developmental issues are addressed on a war footing, said the leader.
Dates for the assembly elections, likely to be held later this year, are yet to be announced.
Also read: As BJP returns with massive mandate, VHP to again push gau raksha & Ram temple agenda
Lord Indra will “ fix “ the water shortage. Our live in maid told me with great happiness the monsoon has reached her village in the Konkan.