BJP, RSS plan high pitch, hyper-local ‘nationalism’ drive

NEWDELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), will launch a hyper-local campaign focused on ’nationalism’ from January 23 for the Delhi elections.

The BJP plans over 5,000 ‘group meetings’ to tell people about the Bjp-led Centre’s decisions such as abrogation of 370, Ram Temple and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The party plans to counter the ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP’S) campaign on its development work and benefits such as subsidy in water and electricity tariff with “nationalism, bold decisions and the work by the Narendra Modi government”, a senior BJP leader said.

Union home minister Amit Shah will address a group meetings in Matiala and Nangloi Jat assembly constituencies, and do a padyatra in the Uttam Nagar assembly segment on Thursday.

BJP chief JP Nadda will address group meetings in south Delhi. Shah had announced about these meetings during the booth-level workers’ convention earlier this month.

“We are aiming at 100-150 group meetings per assembly constituency. These will be held in colonies, lanes, markets and in the homes of local residents,” the BJP leader said.

“We will talk about the bold decisions taken by the Centre such as abrogation of 370, CAA and triple talaq. Party leaders will talk about Ram Temple. We will tell people about these larger national issues at the group meetings that can have 50-1,000 people. We could discuss the issue over tea or around bonfire. We will expose the AAP government for its failure to deliver on its promises and talk about our vision for the city’s development. On CAA, we will tell people about how the opposition parties incited violence,” said Goel, who will hold a group meeting in a slum cluster in Moti Nagar on Thursday and spend the night there.

The senior BJP leader quoted earlier said Ram temple would be an important issue the party plans to raise in the elections. “It will be constructed during our tenure and after the Supreme Court’s verdict, there were no incidents of violence or riots in Uttar Pradesh. This happened as we have strong government in UP,” the leader said.

The RSS plans a similar hyperlocal campaign in Delhi too, where it too will focus on nationalism to counter AAP’S “freebies”. The RSS will soon start holding meetings at the booth level and raise issues of national importance.

Rajiv Tuli, member of Delhi executive of the RSS, said, “The present government (in Delhi) is opposing the CAA and luring voters with freebies pushing the issues of national importance under the carpet. We will contact people and tell them to vote for larger issues and ensure 100% polling.”

The group meetings will be addressed by Union ministers, members of Parliament and senior party functionaries.