<p>In politics, things can change quickly and drastically. How the BJP made inroads into Nagaland in the last Assembly elections of 2018 can be a case study worth studying for any political student. </p>.<p>In the last Assembly elections, the BJP won 12 seats. Much before that, in 2013, the saffron party had managed to win just a single seat! So even to this day, many wonder how the Modi-led party was able to perform astoundingly. Here are a few reasons as to how the BJP pulled off a coup in the Assembly elections. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/nagaland-polls-nominations-of-200-applicants-found-valid-1189411.html" target="_blank">Nagaland polls: Nominations of 200 applicants found valid</a></strong></p>.<p><strong>a. BJP was able to thwart the spread of ‘anti-Christian’ narrative against it </strong></p>.<p>In the run up to the hustings, many believed that the BJP would be a threat to the Christian-dominated state. Even the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) had its doubts and warned the citizens about it. </p>.<p>But all credit to the incumbent Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, he efficiently managed to stave off this threat. He drove home the point that BJP would work in favour of Christians. </p>.<p>“The allegations that the BJP party supports anti-Christian activities are completely baseless because BJP has been fighting to protect the interest of Christians in the state and also national level,” he had said in an election rally as quoted by <em>The</em> <em>Indian Express</em>. </p>.<p><strong>b. BJP’s development promise </strong></p>.<p>The BJP made it a point to expose the loopholes of the then incumbent government and its shoddy work related to infrastructure and development. Modi, a gifted speaker that he is, emphatically impressed the electorate that if the NDPP-BJP alliance was given a chance, the “double-engine” government would work for the interests of the state. </p>.<p><strong>c. Stability, an important factor </strong></p>.<p>The BJP was also successful in impressing the electorate that stability was an important factor to run a state. The party successfully campaigned on the Neiphiu Rio-Narendra Modi camaraderie in informing the people how stability would be gained if the two worked in a spirit of cooperation and harmony. The BJP and NDPP won 12 seats and 17 seats respectively in the 60-seat Assembly and formed the government. </p>.<p><strong>The road ahead for BJP </strong></p>.<p>The BJP now hopes to continue its good run in the upcoming elections as well. The core issues that the BJP will be focusing on are peace, development and economy. Of course, it is needless to say that the BJP will be banking on the personality cult of its tallest leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it will also try to reap rich dividends on the local leadership. </p>.<p>Of the senior contenders are Yanthungo Patton (Dy CM) from Tyui assembly constituency, Along (state president) among others. </p>
<p>In politics, things can change quickly and drastically. How the BJP made inroads into Nagaland in the last Assembly elections of 2018 can be a case study worth studying for any political student. </p>.<p>In the last Assembly elections, the BJP won 12 seats. Much before that, in 2013, the saffron party had managed to win just a single seat! So even to this day, many wonder how the Modi-led party was able to perform astoundingly. Here are a few reasons as to how the BJP pulled off a coup in the Assembly elections. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/nagaland-polls-nominations-of-200-applicants-found-valid-1189411.html" target="_blank">Nagaland polls: Nominations of 200 applicants found valid</a></strong></p>.<p><strong>a. BJP was able to thwart the spread of ‘anti-Christian’ narrative against it </strong></p>.<p>In the run up to the hustings, many believed that the BJP would be a threat to the Christian-dominated state. Even the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) had its doubts and warned the citizens about it. </p>.<p>But all credit to the incumbent Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, he efficiently managed to stave off this threat. He drove home the point that BJP would work in favour of Christians. </p>.<p>“The allegations that the BJP party supports anti-Christian activities are completely baseless because BJP has been fighting to protect the interest of Christians in the state and also national level,” he had said in an election rally as quoted by <em>The</em> <em>Indian Express</em>. </p>.<p><strong>b. BJP’s development promise </strong></p>.<p>The BJP made it a point to expose the loopholes of the then incumbent government and its shoddy work related to infrastructure and development. Modi, a gifted speaker that he is, emphatically impressed the electorate that if the NDPP-BJP alliance was given a chance, the “double-engine” government would work for the interests of the state. </p>.<p><strong>c. Stability, an important factor </strong></p>.<p>The BJP was also successful in impressing the electorate that stability was an important factor to run a state. The party successfully campaigned on the Neiphiu Rio-Narendra Modi camaraderie in informing the people how stability would be gained if the two worked in a spirit of cooperation and harmony. The BJP and NDPP won 12 seats and 17 seats respectively in the 60-seat Assembly and formed the government. </p>.<p><strong>The road ahead for BJP </strong></p>.<p>The BJP now hopes to continue its good run in the upcoming elections as well. The core issues that the BJP will be focusing on are peace, development and economy. Of course, it is needless to say that the BJP will be banking on the personality cult of its tallest leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it will also try to reap rich dividends on the local leadership. </p>.<p>Of the senior contenders are Yanthungo Patton (Dy CM) from Tyui assembly constituency, Along (state president) among others. </p>