Assam polls: Modi, BJP leaders advised to give up aggressive campaigning
Tezpur: Following BJP’s electoral debacle in Bihar, party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been advised to give up aggressive campaigning for the Assam elections as part of their new strategy.
Asserting that the party was treading cautiously towards Assam assembly elections, sources in the BJP told Deccan Chronicle that a subdued development oriented speech of the Prime Minister was the part of its strategy.
Senior leaders of the party have been asked to restrain from aggressive speeches and sources said that the party has not left anything to chance by ignoring some of the controversial party leaders in its campaign for Assam.
Apart from giving importance to leaders of alliance partners in the Prime Minister’s public meetings, the changes in the party’s strategy also reflected in the campaign strategy and within the organizational set up of the party.
Muslims comprise at least 34 percent of the state's population. The party has also decided not to rake up many aggressive and controversial issues like beef eating but suggested its leaders to nail the ruling Congress party leaders on corruption issues.
The party has also decided to talk more about its roadmap for the development of Assam instead of indulging in mudslinging and verbal attacks on its opponents.
Taking a lesson from Bihar elections, the party has also decided to present state leaders as the face of election campaign. Instead of engaging in targeting individuals, the party has advised its leaders to target Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).
Soon after winning half of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam in 2014, BJP was quick to declare its mission 84, implying that party will wrest 84 assembly seats out of the total 126 assembly seats in the state.
Though, in amended strategy of the party, the BJP has decided to ignore such over-ambitious campaigns. Presence of AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and Bridwan Goswami on dais with Prime Minister in public rallies in Assam was also the part of strategy to send a strong message among the electorates on alliance.
