Survival of fittest: BJP to rejig strategy to continue winning streak in Maharashtra

After the defeat in the crucial Hindi heartland and the slide in Modi wave, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra is set to rejig its strategy to continue its winning streak in the ensuing Lok Sabha and assembly elections slated for 2019. This is despite the image of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as the poll-winning machine since he assumed the office in October 31, 2014. The saffron party has not only consolidated its position but also outnumbered its ruling ally Shiv Sena and opposition parties in local and civic bodies.

A large section of party's elected representatives believe that CM's Mr Clean image and his poll management skills are not enough to win coming polls but further attention needs to be paid to strengthen party organization and its coordination with the government, tie up with Shiv Sena despite its aggressive postures, put in place an extensive plan to reach out to aggrieved sections particularly farmers, tribals, backward classes and politically sensitive urban middle class and youths. The government may come out pro farmers initiatives with short and long-term steps.

Of the 122 legislators and 23 MPs, some want the party leadership to make it clear whether BJP will go solo or enter into seat-sharing pact with Shiv Sena. This is quite crucial with Shiv Sena using Hindutva card will sense an opportunity especially against the backdrop of BJP's performance in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh to pitch for a bigger pound of flesh seeking 50:50 formula for both Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

Incidentally, Fadnavis, who recently clocked more than 1,500 days at the helm of the seat of power for unbroken and uninterrupted tenure, has convened meeting with the party MPs, legislators and key office bearers on December 19 to discuss at length preparations for ensuing elections. This is significant as BJP has to retain its supremacy in 48 Lok Sabha seats and improve its tally in 288 member state assembly.

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Of the 48 seats, party had won 23 seats while Shiv Sena, which fought in an alliance, bagged 18 seats. However, after its divorce with Shiv sena, BJP won 122 seats in the assembly and 63 by Shiv Sena.Of the 122 seats, BJP had won 50 seats with a margin of 10,000 while another few 30 odd seats with thin margin. Fadnavis proposes to focus on these seats to improve party's performance.

In addition to this, BJP had won more than 30 seats by fielding candidates who had come from other parties. CM and state party leadership plan to replace some of them by new faces in such seats while few will not be renominated citing the non performance.

State party general secretary and MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar says of the 90,000 plus booths the party has appointed chiefs for 80,000 booths to further strengthen its connect with the voters. ''The party is consolidating organisation upto booth level,'' he notes.

However, legislator from Murbad, Kisan Kathore, who deserted Nationalist Congress Party to join BJP ahead of 2014 assembly election, says it is not enough. The party will have to step up efforts to register new voters and establish contacts with them ''In my constituency so far 75,000 new voters have been added and my aim is to add further 15,000. I will dispatch letters seeking their votes on the development plank. This needs to be replicated elsewhere,'' he notes.

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