Multi-pronged strategy powers BJP

At a closed-door meeting with party leaders in Indore on July 30, Union home minister Amit Shah asked a question: “Açhchi sarkar kaunsi hoti hai?” (Which is a good government?). When the leaders did not come up with the answer he was looking for, Shah, a former party president and arguably the party’s most powerful election strategist said, “Meri sarkar achchi sarkar hoti hai” (my party’s government is the best government).

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran

“That is how he set the tone for the election campaign in the state where even our own leaders assumed that years of anti-incumbency, infighting and indifference among the workers would make it difficult for the party to retain power,” said a senior BJP functionary aware of the discussions at that meeting.

Having reminded the leaders of the 15 months that they were out of power for in the state after the 2018 polls, Shah proceeded to hand out a list of 15 things for the leadership and the cadre to do.

These included strengthening the party’s presence at the booth level, identifying workers at every booth to carry out party activities, using social media to connect with voters, reinvigorating Panna Pramukhs, reaching out to women through self-help groups and religious and cultural bodies, and launching specific outreach programmes targeted at communities, professionals and influencers. He also set targets for adding new workers and supporters and said the party had to win at least 51% of the total votes in every booth. As it turns out, the BJP won almost 49% of the votes cast.

Party leaders, who were involved in the election strategy, said there were four major challenges the BJP faced.

“There was anti-incumbency and fatigue factor associated with the chief minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan); rebels who could spoil the show; a disconnect between the leaders and the workers and in turn between the workers and the voters; and anger among social groups such as the government employees and caste groups,” said a second party functionary who asked not to be named.