- BJP is banking on foot-soldiers, ground strategy to win polls
- Gujarat will be an indicator for national elections in 2024
On a recent Friday morning, Dhansukh Patel — volunteer, loyal foot soldier and long-time member of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party — sat on the verandah of his home deep in discussion with aides on strategies to win more voters to the party.
The BJP’s unapologetic emphasis on Hindu nationalism, creation of new social and caste coalitions, and focus on women and welfare programs made it the “primary pole of Indian politics, replacing the Congress”, said Nalin Mehta, dean of the School of Modern Media at UPES University in Dehradun and the author of “The New BJP.”
“All of these factors combine with a formidable grassroots cadre and a ruthless managerial focus on winnability to create a powerful election machine that can often make the difference in close contests,” says Mehta, the political scientist. “This increases the scale of the challenge for India’s opposition parties as they gear up for the next general elections in 2024.”
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This article was first published bloomberg.com | December 5, 2022
