On November 17, the day Madhya Pradesh went to the polls, cellphones of the BJP's local functionaries rang at 5am.
It was Brahma Muhurta, an auspicious time to start the day. The first wakeup call from the party's state unit alerted the functionaries to the busy day ahead. Sunrise was still 90 minutes away, and chances were that some could have hit the snooze button. A voice message was sent on WhatsApp to reinforce the alert. To rule out chances of non-delivery of the message, a third call was made from the party's call centre.
All those who mattered in each district the party president, the booth management coordinator, constituency chiefs, polling agents and booth presidents were thus woken up. By 6am, provisions were made to ensure that party workers across the state were out on the streets to escort voters to booths and carry out other tasks. The operations were meticulous. For more than a year, cadres had undergone training according to a 15-point programme prepared by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
When votes were finally counted on December 3, the BJP got more than 48 per cent votes. The party bagged 50 lakh more votes than in 2018, while the Congress, which was supposed to have benefited from anti-incumbency, could manage only 15 lakh more votes. The BJP's planning had made all the difference.
The election machinery that the party had perfected in Gujarat was replicated across three Hindi heartland states-Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Electoral arithmetic, combined with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's connect with voters, and the support that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan received from women beneficiaries of his social welfare schemes, trumped the "vote for change" sentiment that had existed in the months leading to the polls.
Denne historien er fra December 17, 2023-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 17, 2023-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Too Much Sitting Can Accelerate Ageing
SITTING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS can harm the heart and accelerate ageing, even if you are young and get the minimum recommended amount of daily exercise, according to a US study published in the journal PLOS One.
Efficiency and innovation
As health care evolves, professionals must employ innovative methods to refine their skills
Level up
Only 30 per cent of needy patients are able to undergo transplant in India; we need more dedicated transplant centres
HOPE STEMS FROM A CELL
While stem cell therapies have shown success in treating blood disorders, orthopaedic ailments, autoimmune diseases and eye issues, there is hope that they can one day treat patients with heart disease, blindness, Parkinson's, HIV, diabetes and spinal cord injuries
Mind matters
Your mindset can limit or expand your physical ability
Cutting edge
Would you go under the knife if a robot was the one holding it? Or would you say, \"No way, I need a human touch\"? You might have to decide soon because a robot that can imitate skilled human surgeons is already here.
The smallest cut
Minimally invasive surgeries have a bright future, with virtual reality and 3D procedures offering greater precision and AI on the horizon
Signalling a revolution
Canadian scientist and entrepreneur Sachdev Sidhu is focused on bringing cutting-edge antibody engineering to his country of origin
Wellness on demand
Starting as a doctor-patient chat platform, Medibuddy has evolved to be India's largest on-demand, full-stack digital health care platform
HEARING AND VISION LOSS LINKED TO HEART DISEASE AND STROKE
A CHINESE STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL of the American Heart Association suggests that middle aged and older adults with sensory impairments, specifically hearing and vision loss, have an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart attacks.
