The Hindu : BJP to finalise poll strategy for 5 States

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 23, 2002

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BJP to finalise poll strategy for 5 States

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI DEC. 22. Fresh from its gains in Gujarat, the Bharatiya Janata Party will be finalising a strategy for the Assembly elections next year. While in Himachal Pradesh it will have to fight the anti-incumbency factor, in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Rajasthan it is hoping that the same factor will work in its favour.

For two days from tomorrow, the party's national executive committee will be meeting here to assess, analyse and plan the programmes and tactics that could help it to build on the Gujarat success. But even some of the strong votaries of Hindutva in the party realise that what worked in Gujarat in the aftermath of the Godhra, may not work elsewhere.

It seems that the BJP will be relying on Sangh Parivar organisations, notably the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal, to aggressively take forward the parivar's common Hindutva agenda. While encouraging the VHP in every way, the BJP may not like to dirty its own hands.

This strategy suits it, as some party leaders pointed out. If the BJP were not to directly stoke the communal fires but let the VHP do it, it could always claim, what it has been doing, that the VHP is a separate organisation. This would keep the allies happy. It would also prevent any legal problems for the party in relation to the Election Commission while the electoral benefits would accrue to it.

In Himachal, the party plans to end factionalism, led by the Chief Minister, P.K. Dhumal, and the former Chief Minister, Shanta Kumar. The BJP knows the going may be tough in Madhya Pradesh. It lacks a leader of stature to match the Chief Minister, Digvijay Singh. It could try for an electoral alliance with the BSP — Ms. Mayawati's appearance in Gujarat was a pointer. Some political action in the State by Cabinet Minister, Uma Bharti, is expected to enliven the scene. The success of the Digvijay Singh Government, now in its second five-year tenure, has had a demoralising effect on the party which is depending on "double incumbency".

In Chhattisgarh, the BJP has no one to match the Congress Chief Minister, Ajit Jogi, who has reduced the BJP's presence in the State by wooing and splitting its legislators. But intense activity by the Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra, an RSS organisation working among tribals, is a distinct possibility in the run-up to the elections.

The BJP sees Rajasthan as its best bet. Vasundhara Raje, new state party president, has notched wins in the three recent Assembly byelections. With Mr. Modi's Gujarat next door, the VHP plans to rake up communal passions.

Besides, the BJP has several big "Jat" leaders such as Bhairon Singh Shekhawat who could make an impact. The reported hunger deaths have given the Gehlot Government a bad name.

In Delhi, the BJP is gripped by intense factionalism and its strongman, Madan Lal Khurana, is an "old" face — there is some talk of projecting a younger leader, perhaps Arun Jaitley. The Congress Government of Sheila Dikshit has run smoothly in comparison with the previous BJP regime.

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