With eye on 2019 polls, PM to give pep talk to 13 party CMs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give a pep talk to chief ministers of 13 BJP ruled states at the party headquarters here on Sunday. Party president Amit Shah will also join them.

The meeting comes within weeks of Modi holding a similar session with leaders of 33 NDA allies, who reposed faith in his leadership and resolved to win the 2019 elections again.

BJP sources described the meeting as an exercise to gear up BJP-ruled states for the next Lok Sabha election, a key electoral challenge that will also be seen as a referendum on Modi government’s five year tenure.

Three BJP ruled states — Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan— will also go to polls in 2018.

With the BJP ruling 13 states and sharing power in four others, party leaders admit the performance of the state governments will have a bearing on the performance of the party in 2019.

Modi doesn’t want any antiincumbency to set in against the sitting BJP governments, which can pull down the party in 2019.

“At the Sunday meeting, he will reiterate that BJP needs to keep its focus on governance and avoid controversies that can provide fresh ammunition to the opposition looking for an opportunity,” a BJP leader said.

Activism by cow vigilantes, conduct of certain BJP leaders and several others issues have hogged the media limelight, putting the BJP in a tight spot.

At the just concluded conclave of the BJP in Bhubaneswar, Prime Minister Modi asked BJP leaders to be mindful of their conduct.

“Don’t let power go into your head. We should not get spoiled,” he told over 300 BJP leaders.