BJP banks on Nitish, development to win upcoming Bihar polls

PATNA: The two-day Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state executive committee meeting, which began in the virtual mode on Saturday, set the agenda for Bihar elections — that the alliance was going to focus on the party’s development agenda and pit the “reliable and timetested leadership” of the Nitish Kumar government against the Grand Alliance.

The political resolution passed on first day of the meeting made it clear that the BJP was going to retain its poll strategy of portraying the Grand Alliance as an unlikely partnership. “The parties attached to the Grand Alliance are mentally opposed to each other, they are never stable and cannot provide the public-oriented government. Whereas the NDA has a reliable and time-tested leadership and all parties of the alliance believe in developmentoriented policies. We believe in all-round development with social justice,” read the party’s political resolution.

A similar sentiment was echoed by new state election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis, the former Maharashtra chief minister. “Public memory is short. Take to the people the government’s work, both of the Centre and the state. Also, highand light what was the scenario when a family was ruling the state. What were the problems they faced and then you need to tell them how PM stood behind Bihar during the times of pandemic? How the state government effected the changes in last 15 years,” said Fadnavis in his maiden address.

He exhorted the party members that despite the twin problems of pandemic and floods faced by the state, the BJP workers will have to reach out every household. “Nobody can stop Bihar from progress. In last 15 years, Bihar is back on rails. Now is the time to make a leap. The state and Centre will run hand in hand towards progress,” he said.

Fadnavis asked party leaders to recognize the importance of youth power in the elections. “Bihar has close to 58% youth population. If anybody can help in the making of modern Bihar India, it is these youths. A country which relied on youth power has shown development,” said Fadnavis, adding that this election is going to decide “the fate of Bihar.”

“This is an election to make history for Bihar. India will change and so will Bihar. Let us repeat our Lok Sabha performance,” he told the executive committee members.

The political resolution passed by party also enlisted the development work done by the Centre, how the Central government solved the long-pending issues of Article 370, Triple Talaq and Ayodhya temple. It lauded the state government’s effort in effectively dealing with the pandemic and floods.

The executive committee is also likely to discuss better co-ordination among its alliance partners and decide on the seats that it should contest. BJP sources said the core agenda of the meeting would revolve around election preparations and the role party functionaries would have to play at different levels — from the headquarters to campaigning in Assembly segments.

The inaugural session was also addressed by state president Dr Sanjay Jaiswal, who set a target to win three-fourth of seats for the NDA in assembly elections scheduled in Octobernovember.

NEW STATE ELECTION IN-CHARGE DEVENDRA FADNAVIS SAID THE PARTY WILL HIGHLIGHT THE CHANGES OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS AND EMPOWER YOUTH TO FORESEE DEVELOPMENT