By IANS
New Delhi : Upbeat after its victories in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) put itself in the election mode at its national executive meeting Sunday, projecting its three top leaders – including Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi – as a trinity of icons for the next general elections.
The blueprint for the next general elections is being laid out at the national executive meet Sunday and the two-day national council meeting beginning Monday.
Whenever the country goes to the next general elections, the BJP will have three main planks – security, good governance and concern for the plight of farmers, said party spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad.
Symbolising the party’s “resolve for victory” was Modi, who sat in the national executive with film actress Hema Malini. He won the assembly election last month playing the security card and the threat to the upwardly mobile Gujaratis from terrorists.
Modi is the BJP mascot for security.
L.K. Advani, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, is being projected as the epitome of good governance.
Prasad said: “For last 50 years, Advani has represented a fine combination of good development and governance with impeccable personal integrity. He never allowed that image to be sullied. In 1995 when the Hawala charge was brought against him, he resolved not to enter parliament till he was acquitted.”
That would appear to leave the rather low-profile BJP president Rajnath Singh, out in the cold. But no, Singh will represent the party’s concern for farmers.
In his 10-page written speech, “the BJP president has demanded that the government immediately summon a special session of parliament to discuss the plight of the farmers in the country”, Prasad told reporters.
The BJP has already declared that “good governance, lack of security for the common man and the farmers’ plight” will be the three main planks on which the party proposes to go to the general elections anytime they are held.
“Till then these three BJP leaders will be touring far and wide all over the country to hold public meetings and rallies to promote their idea and project their respective images,” said a BJP leader.
He pointed out how Modi has already begun the campaign by holding a rally in Mumbai. Similarly, Singh toured Vidarbha earlier this month to focus on the problems of farmers.
“This meet will also discuss and finalise Advani’s tour programme,” Rajnath had said.
In any case, “he starts his campaign with a rally in Rampur, (Uttar Pradesh) Feb 10”, pointed out BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who will accompany Advani.
Meanwhile, enthused by its recent victories, the BJP has suggested simultaneous assembly polls. “Singh has proposed that all parties and the Election Commission should explore options of holding assembly elections in states simultaneously,” Prasad said.
“Since he (Singh) took over as national president of the party, he has seen eight assembly elections in quick succession in different states. This year we are going to have polls in 10 states,” the spokesman said.
The poll dates for three northeastern states of Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya have already been scheduled for February and March.
Other states to go to polls this year are Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Mizoram. Of these, BJP is in power in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and is making all efforts to fight anti-incumbency. It is hopeful of returning to power in Delhi after two terms.
At Sunday’s meeting, there were no doubts Modi is the emerging face of the party at the national level.
Modi was the most sought after leader at the inaugural session of the meet, which was held in the annexe of the parliament complex.
Singh made a reference to Modi while reiterating the BJP’s aim to fight anti-incumbency in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
“We have shattered the myth in Gujarat that BJP cannot return to power twice or thrice,” Singh said.
Many party insiders feel Singh looks upon Modi as a threat to his leadership. But he was clearly bowing to the growing pro-Modi sentiment within the party when he said, “Modi is the future of the party.”
When asked about Modi’s rising popularity in the party cadre, Prasad smilingly said: “Modi is special for us.”