BJP: The Karnataka accident has forced the BJP to make changes to its campaign strategy for the upcoming round of state elections, which are scheduled for later this year. Elections are taking place in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh, four vital states. Only Madhya Pradesh is governed by the BJP among these. The party is trying to take advantage of the anti-incumbency sentiment in the two other states and the revolving door pattern in Rajasthan to its advantage.
BJP takes a strategic approach in considering caste equations
Senior party sources revealed, off-the-record, that the BJP has chosen to consider caste equations when choosing candidates for the four state leadership positions. This was a hard lesson to learn from Karnataka, when the Lingayats were driven into the Congress by the state’s decision to remove BS Yediyurappa from the top position and refuse tickets to Jagdish Shettar and Laxman Sadavi. According to insiders, the party is also willing to form electoral coalitions with minor parties if necessary. Many believe that the BJP would have won a few more seats in Karnataka if they had teamed up with HD Kumaraswamy.
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BJP shifts focus to local leaders for state elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh
The emphasis on local leaders rather than a preponderant reliance on central leaders and state Chief Ministers, however, will mark the biggest transformation. For the Congress, letting local leaders design the campaign had been successful. There will be less partisanship. It was viewed as a major issue in Karnataka, which prevented figures like Jagdish Shettar from receiving a ticket. In Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where party cohesion is one of the main obstacles, this tactic will be essential. Vasundhara Raje, a former chief minister of Rajasthan who is thought to be out of step with the Central leadership, will be preferred. However, state officials from various castes, including Kirori Lal Meena, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Satish Poonia, and others, will also be given consideration.
Unified face of state officials urged by BJP for upcoming state elections
According to sources, Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, would continue to serve as the party’s public face, but he will be required to bring other leaders, including Jyotiraditya Scindia, Narendra Singh Tomar, and BD Sharma, with him. The BJP was overthrown by Mr. Scindia and his supporters in 2020, overthrowing the Kamal Nath administration in the process. The distribution of tickets has been a contentious process. Former Chief Minister Raman Singh, senior leader Brijmohan Agrawal, and Arun Sao will be prioritised in Chhattisgarh, while Bandi Sajay, E Rajendran, and G Kishan Reddy will be the party’s main faces in Telangana. State officials will be urged to put aside their differences and display a unified face, according to insiders.
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