Gurugram: Even as the hustle and bustle of the Haryana assembly polls comes to a standstill with the end of campaigning, one of the most striking features of this election has been how the BJP kept former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar largely out of the limelight during the electioneering.
The ruling party’s move, which has drawn the attention of political leaders and analysts alike, is seen as a calculated effort to reshape its electoral strategy as it battles anti-incumbency and seeks to regain voter confidence.
Handpicked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a surprise choice to lead the first-ever BJP government in Haryana after the party’s resounding victory in 2014, Khattar served as Haryana CM for two consecutive terms from October 2014 to March 2024. He has been a key face of the BJP in the state for nearly two decades.
Even after Nayab Singh Saini replaced him as Haryana’s CM on 12 March this year, Khattar remained the most prominent BJP leader of the state who campaigned across it during Lok Sabha elections.
However, for the 5 October assembly elections, he has not been seen campaigning for BJP candidates except in his own Lok Sabha constituency Karnal, nor is his face visible on any of the party’s publicity material.
PM Modi addressed four rallies in Haryana during these elections, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah too addressed an equal number.
However, Khattar was not asked to address any of these rallies. Barring one, he was not seen at Modi’s rallies.
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‘Personal anti-incumbency’
Jyoti Mishra, a Delhi-based researcher at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, said that despite being listed as a star campaigner for the Haryana assembly elections, Khattar has made minimal appearances at campaign events.
“His limited presence reflects the BJP’s strategy to distance itself from him due to rising anti-incumbency sentiments. While Khattar participated in a few urban rallies, he was notably absent from major events alongside Prime Minister Modi, indicating the party’s intent to mitigate negative perceptions associated with his leadership,” said Mishra.
She added that this approach seeks to rejuvenate the party’s image by promoting Nayab Singh Saini instead, potentially attracting undecided voters and preventing a consolidation of anti-BJP sentiments.
By introducing Saini, the BJP aims to attract OBC voters, who constitute nearly 40 percent of Haryana’s electorate, while Khattar’s caste supporters are already aligned with the party. This strategy targets consolidation of support among OBC communities, who have historically leaned towards the BJP but are now being courted by Congress with promises of increased reservations and a caste census.
Mishra said the BJP hopes that by focusing on OBC outreach and sidelining Khattar, it can mitigate anti-BJP sentiments and secure a favourable outcome on 5 October.
Dr Kushal Pal, principal of Indira Gandhi National College, Ladwa, and a former coordinator of the Lokniti, Haryana CSDS in Delhi, said he has not seen the kind of personal anti-incumbency and resentment against any other political leader as he has seen against Khattar and Dushyant Chautala.
“Anti-incumbency against governments is nothing new and people have seen this in the past. But personal anti-incumbency against individuals is something new. The central leaders of the BJP seem to have understood this well. They got rid of Dushyant Chautala in March and they are keeping Khattar away from the electorate now in the assembly elections,” said Pal.
He added that Khattar’s personal likes and dislikes in Haryana, too, have harmed the party’s interests. “For the first time, the BJP has dropped leaders like Rambilas Sharma in ticket distribution. Even senior Ahirwal leader Rao Inderjit Singh is unhappy with Khattar.”
Pal also mentioned Khattar’s recent statement that those who protested at the borders of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana were not farmers, but people who intended to bring down the central and Haryana governments.
‘He is busy mobilising workers’
State BJP spokesperson Sanjay Sharma however denied that Khattar was kept away from the campaigning.
“He is one of the senior most leaders of the BJP in the state and he is playing an important role in these elections. Every leader has been assigned a role and he or she is doing that role well. Though a star campaigner, the party has assigned Khattar the role of the management of workers. Hence, he is busy mobilising workers for the elections, which is a more important role than campaigning for candidates,” he said.
A senior BJP leader requesting anonymity, however, admitted that the party doesn’t want to show Khattar much, given that he is the face of BJP’s 10 years of incumbency.
“The party owes him much for where the party stands in Haryana today. His administrative style, focused on transparency and digital governance, had won him accolades in the early years of his tenure. However, recent years saw his popularity wane, particularly due to issues surrounding the handling of farmers’ protests, unemployment etc,” the leader said.
The leader further said that the decision to reduce Khattar’s role in the campaign is part of a broader strategy to rejuvenate the BJP’s image in Haryana. With the party facing significant opposition from various quarters, particularly from rural voters and agrarian communities, the leadership is keen on showcasing new faces and shifting the narrative away from the perceived shortcomings of the previous administration, he added.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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