Modi factor and fresh candidates propelled BJP to massive victory
NEW DELHI: The victory in 181 wards in the three municipal corporations is a testimony to the fact that the BJP has effectively managed to beat anti-incumbency of 10 years riding on the Narendra Modi wave.
Instead of criticising rivals — the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress — the state leadership used Prime Minister Modi to seek votes. His images along with party president Amit Shah and local unit chief Manoj Tiwari were placed on all posters and banners put up across the city.
Soon after the elections on Wednesday, Tiwari attributed the party’s resounding victory to Modi’s popularity.
“Delhi residents are dejected with the negativity being spread by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. It is a clear mandate for the policies of PM,” he said.
Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who reached the Delhi BJP office to congratulate party workers, said: “This (win) shows the mood of the country. The people want only development. They want to become a partner with Modi in the development of the country,” he said.
To overcome anti-incumbency, the party had sprung a surprise by announcing that no sitting councillors would be given tickets. A party functionary said the decision worked magically and it got more seats than earlier. “It actually turned out to be a masterstroke,” he said. In the last municipal elections, BJP won 138 seats. Later, a few independents and councillors of other parties joined the BJP, which took its tally to 153.
The ‘infighting’ was also a major concern for the Central leadership hence Shah appointed vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe along with union ministers Nirmala Sitharama, Jitendra Singh, and Sanjeev Balyan to supervise the electioneering. The results indicate that the senior leaders controlled all ‘warring faction’ effectively.
Another factor, which worked for the party, is Purvanchali voters. In November, the BJP gambled on Bhojpuri actor turned politician Manoj Tiwari and handed over the command of its state unit to him just four months before the elections.
The aim was to tap about 35 lakh Purvanchali voters, who had voted en mass for AAP in the 2015 assembly elections.
The other highlight in municipal elections was BJP big victory in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh and appointment of Yogi Adityanath as state’s chief minister. It helped to win over people belonging to eastern UP and Bihar. The party took advantage of the popular perception against the AAP that it had failed to keep its promises made before the election except power subsidy and rebate on water bills.
VICTORY DEDICATED TO MARTYRS
The BJP workers and supporters visiting the state party office were greeted with a big hoarding, announcing the party’s decision dedicating the victory in municipal poll to the CRPF personnel killed by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma.