BJP gearing up UP polls

Aditya Vaibhav

New Delhi: After creating history in Assam and Kerala in the Assembly Elections 2016, the BJP is gearing up for the next year’s UP assembly polls and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP is holding brainstorming sessions for UP polls for which it has been preparing an internal report card on its party office bearers besides those given administrative responsibilities in its government in its bid to achieve ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’.

With UP in mind, PM Modi is all set for a ‘Big’ overhaul in his team which implies nothing but change in roles of its functionaries, at the centre as well as the states. Top performers are likely to be rewarded while those with mediocre performance are likely to be sidelined.

Sources claim that the PM may shuffle portfolios, bring in fresh faces, drop some ministers and even draft some to the organization. With this exercise, Amit Shah will get his new team of vice presidents and general secretaries as well. The PM may also shuffle some governors. There is a possibility of change in Gujarat chief minister and incumbent Anandiben Patel getting a gubernatorial posting. The RSS  feels that it was the Sangh’s strategy that paid off in Assam and in UP too it should have a big role. Sources say that even the Sangh knows UP has to be won. That’s why the outfit may depute special pointspersons for the coming polls.

Though there is no clarity on the timing of the exercise, top party sources say that June will be the month when the PM will take the next big step. The rejig may see some new faces from UP. The strategy for UP will involve several layers of preparations. That apart, if sources are to be believed, BJP may also opt for going to UP polls without a chief ministerial candidate. According to a report presented by PM Modi’s confidante OM Mathur on Uttar Pradesh, the state could be divided into few zones and one leader can be entrusted with a zone to operate like a regional satrap.

But the PM doesn’t want a plan which doesn’t anticipates the Congress’ next move in UP. In case the Congress, stung by the recent losses, pushes one of the Gandhis as the face for UP, the BJP may announce a candidate. The BJP, backed by two allies, decimated the Congress in many of its traditional bastions to script its maiden victory in Assam. This is for the first time that the BJP could form a government on its own in the country’s northeastern region. The Assembly Election Results declared on May 19, 2016, were an affirmation of BJP president Amit Shah’s campaign strategy.

Also, the party’s improved performance in West Bengal and Kerala have not only come as a major reprieve to Prime Minister Narendra Modi but would also help strengthen party president Amit Shah, whose capabilities as “poll strategist” had come under scathing attack.

Talking to newsmen, Amit Shah recently said the assembly poll results have proved that “whoever goes with the Congress loses. Like in Tamil Nadu, the DMK’s success ratio is 56%. The Congress success is 19%. The Congress pulled down the coalition.” He further said that the BJP’s base is expanding in seven states – Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal and Assam. “I am confident that by the time 2019 comes, we will convert our support into seats.”

The elated BJP president noted that there have been “seven elections since the Modi sarkar assumed office. Of these, we won five, in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and now Assam. We increased our votes in Bihar.”

Hailing the NDA government’s schemes, Shah further stated, “the PM turned the Petroleum ministry, seen as a corporate ministry, into a people welfare ministry. ”