Mangaluru: BJP national president, Amit Shah's 'platoon,' of 55 senior MPs and Union Ministers, who are in charge of four assembly segments each in election-bound Karnataka, have begun arriving in the state to tour its constituencies and assess the party's poll preparedness.
The Central team's presence in the state is quite unusual as national leaders of the party normally depend on state committees to prepare for elections.
But for the first time Mr Amit Shah has appointed his own team of MPs and Ministers from outside Karnataka to supervise the work in each constituency and give him direct feedback.
Going by party sources, the strategy has proved successful for the BJP in other states. "Amit Shah wants his 20- point formula to strengthen the party from the grassroots and win the election. The MPs and Ministers will monitor the implementation of his formula, check on its success and also conduct meetings with the grassroot workers. They are acting as a bridge between the national president and the men at the grassroots," explained a senior party leader.
Petroleum Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, who is overseeing four Assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kannada, and Mumbai North MP, Gopal Shetty, who is responsible for four more , were in the district over the weekend, touring their respective constituencies and holding meetings at various places.
"These leaders will go on tours two or three times before the election and organise the party. This is a great step taken by the party. We are sure it will help us reap rich dividends," said a party worker.
While Satna MP, Ganesh Singh from Madhya Pradesh is in charge of four constituencies of Udupi , other BJP leaders have their own segments to focus on.
