BJP hard sells Modi Model ahead of Gujarat, Himachal state polls

Spotlighting its ‘historic win’ in four state polls earlier this year, the Bharatiya Janata Party at its national office bearers meeting in Jaipur worked towards hard selling the Modi model of governance as “pro poor, proactive and responsive”.

The move comes as two more BJP-ruled states, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat—the latter being the PM Narendra Modi’s and Home Minister Amit Shah’s home state—go to polls later this year.

This was a clear indicator that, once again, the BJP will use Modi as the face of the party for the Assembly elections in these states with regional leaders somewhat in background. The move is strategic because in Gujarat the party changed the Chief Minister last year, in Himachal Pradesh there is speculation abuzz there is possibility of similar change of guard.

In the meeting, the party reiterated its repeat victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, as well as its wins in Goa and Manipur as signs of “unbreakable trust of people in Modi’s leadership”.

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Modi, who addressed the meeting via video conference, sought to counter the Opposition’s narrative on inflation and employment. He projected his governance as development-oriented and cautioned everyone not to “fall into their (Opposition’s) trap” because “ecosystem of some parties divert focus from development”.

He also said that it was the BJP that brought development into the mainstream of national politics and the party must move forward on core issues.

“We don’t ever have to take any shortcuts. We have to move forward on the core issues associated with the country's interests. Our steps should not go astray, and we don't have to let our tongues slip. What are these core issues? Poor’s welfare, making the poor’s life easier,” he said.

The BJP’s office bearers’ meeting came a few days after Congress’ Chintan Shivir in Udaipur, and gave their brainstorming meet a tagline: ‘Aath Saal - Seva Sushashan and Gareeb Kalyan’ (Eight years - service, good governance and welfare of the poor). Their tagline is timely as the Opposition has sought to build a narrative against the government on the issue of employment and inflation.

The BJP’s meet also issued a statement slamming the 42 months long Congress government in Rajasthan, citing several issues including the “demolition of a 300 years old temple”. The ruling party’s meet largely focused on Modi-era versus UPA-era saying Modi-led party’s 2014 mandate came in the backdrop of “severe policy paralysis, corruption, cronyism and blatant dynastic politics of the UPA government.” It was also observed that the change happened because “due to the abysmal mis-governance of the UPA,” people had lost faith in the central government’s abilities to deliver.

Crediting Modi for having “ushered in a new era” and creating a “culture that celebrated self-reliance, dignity and entrepreneurship,” the party claimed that “history will remember Modi as the ‘epitome of kindness and compassion’ for giving people access to quality and affordable health care.”

The party also credited Modi for going the “extra mile to remove silos in governance which existed during previous governments.”

Modi, in his turn, hit out at detractors without naming them. “We have been seeing how the ecosystem of some parties is trying with their full strength to distract the country’s attention from its main issues. We never have to fall into the trap of these parties,” he asserted.