Small parties make big plans for election 2020
With a combined vote share of less than 15% and most of them not being able to open their accounts, smaller political parties such as Swaraj India, BSP, JDU, Samajwadi Party, and Shiv Sena may have been fringe players in the recently held municipal corporation elections. The parties, however, have their game plan ready to stay relevant in Delhi politics and have started working on it to make a comeback.
Parties such as the BSP and the JDU are working on strategic changes and strengthening the organisational structure, while Swaraj India and Shiv Sena have plans to fight on the all the seats in future elections in Delhi.
Swaraj India, which lost all the seats and managed a vote share of just 3.5%, will be opening Swaraj Kendra in all wards in the city over the next three months. Swaraj India spokesperson Anupam said the centre will help people who face difficulty in getting the benefits of government schemes or understanding the technicalities of schemes and initiatives such as gas connections, getting voter or Aadhaar cards.
Party insiders, however, said that the Swaraj Kendra would be like a party office and the prime purpose of initiating it is to stay relevant in the minds of voters. The party also has plans to fight the 2019 assembly election in Delhi.
A JDU leader, who did not want to be quoted, said that their promise of a “liquor ban” in Delhi during their campaign failed to attract voters. Party insiders said that the party will be more active in Delhi politics as it has a sizable purvanchali population.
The party volunteers will work actively in areas that have a significant purvanchali population to evoke “Bihari Asmita” and “Purvanchali Pride” sentiments among the people.
Shiv Sena, the party with its roots in Maharashtra, feels that it could not strike a chord with the voters due to its weak organisational base in national politics. Party’s Delhi president Neerah Sethi said that the high command has expressed its interest in preparing for and fighting the 2020 assembly elections.
The party will also be launching a membership drive beginning June and ask senior party leaders to promote the drive in Delhi.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which won only three seats, will also start a membership drive in slum areas and pockets with a sizable population of Dalits — the party’s vote bank, said party’s Delhi spokesperson, CP Singh .