BJP Pulls Out All the Stops: Remaining Phases of Lok Sabha Polls

BJP Exerts Maximum Efforts for Remaining Phases of Lok Sabha Polls

A Meeting of National General Secretaries, Chaired by JP Nadda, Held on Monday to Evaluate BJP's Performance in Five Phases of Polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has enlisted the support of at least six chief ministers and two former CMs to strengthen its campaign in the national capital, where elections to select seven lawmakers are scheduled for May 25 in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls.

In addition to ramping up outreach via social media and door-to-door campaigns, a senior party official mentioned that the BJP is also deploying chief ministers and ministers from other states as part of its strategy to boost its campaign. With the aim of securing victories for its candidates by significant margins and ensuring a high voter turnout, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to energize its cadre and inspire voters ahead of the next two phases.

"The party secured victories in all seven seats in 2019 with a margin of at least 25%, and the overall voter turnout exceeded 50% in each constituency," stated the functionary. "This time, our focus is to maintain or increase voter turnout and achieve even greater winning margins compared to the previous election."

Among the chief ministers enlisted for the campaign in the capital are Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), Mohan Yadav (Madhya Pradesh), Pushkar Dhami (Uttarakhand), Bhajan Lal Sharma (Rajasthan), and Pramod Sawant (Goa). Former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and ex-Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar have also addressed public meetings in the capital.

Additionally, a roadshow and public meetings featuring party president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are scheduled, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally on May 22.

"These leaders not only possess exceptional oratory skills but also enjoy considerable popularity. Their outreach aids the party in solidifying its position, especially among people with roots in Assam or UP," stated the aforementioned functionary.

A meeting of national general secretaries, chaired by Nadda, was convened on Monday to evaluate the party's performance in the five phases conducted thus far. The party routinely reviews aspects such as voter turnout and logistical challenges after each phase.

Following one such assessment, it has been determined that large rallies and public events will not be organized very close to the polling date. This decision aims to enable booth workers to engage in ground-level canvassing effectively.

"A feedback from booth workers and the panna pramukhs revealed that they faced difficulties in conducting door-to-door canvassing, which is a strength of the BJP. Consequently, it has been decided that in the two to three days leading up to the polling day, their focus will solely be on meeting voters, providing them with electoral slips, and encouraging them to cast their votes," stated a second functionary associated with the BJP Mahila Morcha.

States have been directed to explore innovative methods to attract voters. "In states like Madhya Pradesh, leaders are making phone calls to motivate the cadre, who in turn will persuade the voters," the second functionary noted.

Similar initiatives will be undertaken in states where elections are scheduled for May 25 and June 1.

"The outreach efforts will be intensified, especially for constituencies where the competition is fierce, such as Hisar and Rohtak in Haryana, and certain seats in Uttar Pradesh," stated the first functionary.

These efforts encompass Haryana, where polls will be conducted for 11 seats; Jharkhand, with 7 seats up for grabs; Bihar, featuring 16 seats; and Uttar Pradesh, where elections will be held for 27 seats, including the PM's constituency of Varanasi. Additionally, elections in the sixth and seventh phases will cover 17 seats in West Bengal and 12 seats in Odisha.