THE BJP’S NEW HOLY TRINITY

Along with smart electoral arithmetic, there’s a high degree of symbolism in the way BJP has fielded its new power triumvirate

Narendra Modi from Varanasi

The holy city of the Hindus, Varanasi connects the two worlds, material and the spiritual. Like Moditva, a combination of the Hindutva image and the development agenda. Politically, BJP believes that power can be captured in Delhi only when UP is won decisively. Even if Modi fails to become prime minister, he enters the Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh— like several former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Arun Jaitley

from Amritsar Amritsar is home to the holiest shrine of the Sikhs. The SAD-BJP alliance thrived on close ties between the Vajpayee-Advani duo and Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal. As that era ends, the symbolism of passing on the baton to Jaitley and Sukhbir is not lost on anyone. The junior Badal has deputed brother-inlaw Bikramjit Singh Majithia to ensure Jaitley’s win. A Lok Sabha win opens future doors that a Rajya Sabha nomination may not.

Rajnath Singh

from Lucknow Lucknow isn’t just the

capital of the state that sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha; it is also the seat held once by former prime minister Vajpayee, the party’s moderate face. The BJP president’s attempt at symbolism—that he is a Vajpayee in the making—is not merely in the lisp and gestures of the hand. A win from Lucknow could come handy if Moditva fails to cobble together an NDA that will cross the 272-mark.