The BJP has put into motion an electoral plan in Odisha that includes organisational changes and activities to take on the ruling BJD in what it claims will be a straightforward electoral contest. The party has set its sights on increasing its tally and vote share in the 2024 assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha has set in motion an electoral plan that includes organisational changes and activities to challenge the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in what it claims will be a straightforward electoral contest. The party has set its sights on increasing its tally and vote share in the 2024 assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections.
Under the condition of anonymity, a party official predicted that “this time, there would be a vigorous face-off, unlike last time, when there was a lull and complacency.”
Since it backed the Union government in Parliament on a number of difficult bills, such as banning triple talaq and repealing Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir, the BJD is regarded as a party close to the BJP.
According to several party officials, the cadre that has been asked to contribute for the upcoming elections in 2024, when the state will choose a new assembly as well as cast ballots for the general elections, has received the message that there is no “friendly fight” between the two parties from the central high command.
There are several organisational initiatives planned, including visits from senior officials like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Party President JP Nadda, as well as a probable reorganisation of the state unit.
The BJP has increased efforts to claim credit for programmes it claims are supported by the Union government, with a focus on welfare plan recipients and women voters who have been crucial to the party’s success in several states, particularly Uttar Pradesh.
“The BJD government has traditionally claimed ownership of major initiatives. Consider the subsidised rice (Re 1 per kilogramme) that is distributed as part of the public distribution system (PDS). In reality, the state contributed only Rs.2 while the Union government spent Rs.37, but it was the state that received credit, according to the first functionary. The BJD has been attempting to mislead that the Center has withheld funds “now that the union government has opted to shoulder the entire expense of PDS rice.”
Similar efforts are being undertaken to popularise central government funding for PM Awas Yojna home construction, which the party claims was “hijacked” by the BJD administration.
The party will ensure the implementation of specific Center-sponsored projects with a focus on women and economically and socially underdeveloped neighbourhoods.
In terms of organisation, in addition to reinforcing the booths, which is the first step followed in all states, the leadership drew attention to the state leadership gap, the party’s mandal-level issues, and a general lack of enthusiasm for organisational tasks.
The party would first establish 20-member core committees in each assembly and Lok Sabha district. These will be the district presidents, former candidates (who ran in prior elections), and office holders from the mandal, district, and state, according to a second party official who wished to remain anonymous. The ministers in charge of the various clusters (in the state) will receive reports from these committees at their monthly meetings.
“Bansal, based on his past record, is not a peacetime general. He’s a wartime general and he’s cracked the whip. After travelling across the state for the first six months, he has conveyed that it will be an aggressive fight,” the first functionary stated.
Party leaders claimed that after Bansal discovered that many of the members of the booth and mandal committees existed only on paper, he gave the state unit the order to get started right away. The second functionary remarked, “Some of them were not active, while some claimed they were not with the BJP anymore.”
While the BJP won eight of the state’s 21 Lok Sabha seats and 23 of the 147 seats in the assembly, party leaders accused the BJD of deceiving the saffron party into thinking an alliance was imminent.
“The BJD appeared to want to form an alliance with the BJP in 2019 before making a U-turn at the last minute. As a result, the BJP engaged in a fierce battle for a month prior to the election, according to the first functionary. “This time, we’re planning ahead really well.”
Prasanta Patnaik