Amid Covid battle, BJP to begin Bihar election campaign soon

With an eye on the Assembly elections, the BJP has started taking measures to strengthen its organisational structure in Bihar.

According to BJP leaders in Patna, the party’s top leadership in the state has been in touch with its districtlevel functionaries and taking feedback regularly.

Talking to this newspaper BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said, “We are a political party which has been working round-theclock to strengthen the ideology and organisation. We never do anything in particular for election, rather we are always ready to face the elections. Our state president is in touch with party workers on a daily basis through audio and video conferencing and is taking stock of the socio-political situation and feedback regarding our organisation as well as Corona pandemic”.

The BJP is part of the ruling coalition in Bihar being led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. After facing a massive defeat in Jharkhand and unable to form a government in Maharashtra, the coming Assembly elections in Bihar is crucial for the BJP.

The Assembly elections in Bihar are due later this year.

Sources said that the BJP is planning to officially kick start its poll campaign from May 31 onwards after Prime Minister’s monthly radio programme “Maan Ki Baat” is aired.

The BJP insiders said that a special team of seven members known as “Saptrishi” is being formed at booth level which will hear the broadcast and give its feedback to the party’s state president.

The special team includes women, representatives from weaker sections such as Scheduled Caste, Schedule Tribe (SC and ST) and Economic Backward Class (EBC) apart from booth committee president, the booth in charge and also co-in charge.

Party leaders are of the view that groundlevel mobilisation plays a crucial role in deciding the outcome of any election.

“The focus of the special team is to strengthen the party’s organisational structure especially at the booth level”, a BJP insider said.

There are about 73,000 booths in Bihar out of which BJP has appointed in charge or booth level presidents at 62,000 booths, party leaders said.

“During this Corona outbreak and lockdown period, our party leaders are working hard to provide relief to daily wage earners and guest workers who are returning from other states. Party activities will resume after the lockdown period is over,” a BJP leader in Patna said.

● ACCORDING TO BJP insiders a special team of seven members known as “Saptrishi” is being formed at booth level which will hear PM’s radio programme and give its feedback .