Turning over a new page

The BJP plans to implement Gujarat's model in other states vote-garnering

- NANDINI OZA

IT CAME AS NO SURPRISE when Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Gujarat BJP president C.R.Paatil for the party's big win in the assembly elections, securing 156 of 182 seats and 52.52 per cent votes. It was a campaign model devised by Paatil-tried and tested in his Navsari Lok Sabha constituency-that helped the BJP register the thumping victory. He won the 2019 Lok Sabha election by a margin of 6.89 lakh votes without addressing even a single public meeting. In fact, he was barely there in the constituency, as he was busy managing Modi's campaign in Varanasi.

On the electoral roll in Gujarat, there are 30 voters on one page. Paatil’s method involves identifying five voters from these 30 and asking them if they would like to become page committee members. One of these five is selected as the page president. This team works tirelessly in close coordination with the office-bearers of the party.

The system has been very effective in Gujarat, and the party is planning to use it in other states going to the polls this year, said Yagnesh Dave, one of the key persons who monitor the exercise in Gujarat. Uttar Pradesh already has page committee presidents.