A few days before he took oath as the Prime Minister of the country for a second term in 2019, Narendra Modi addressed the constituents of Varanasi, and emphasised the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) dependence on its diligent and committed cadre of workers to connect with the public. As he nears the conclusion of his second term in office, one constant factor endures – his unwavering trust in his party members.
This trust returned rich dividends in the recent elections to the Madhya Pradesh assembly. On one front, the government formulated welfare schemes catering to diverse segments of the population. Simultaneously, the party exerted considerable effort to communicate these initiatives to the public. It is reasonable to infer that the party mitigated any anti-incumbency sentiments in the state by leveraging its organisational prowess and deploying its workers as the conduits between the government and the people.
How MP Headwinds Were Overcome
The prolonged tenure of a government, spanning almost two decades, is susceptible to challenges from the anti-incumbency factor and defections, which can erode its support base. In the years leading up to the election, BJP faced a lacklustre period marked by various controversies. The leadership acknowledged a prevailing sentiment that disengaged party workers were a reason for the electoral setback in 2018. It was incumbent on the leadership to prevent disillusionment among party workers regarding the prospects.
The strenuous endeavour to secure continued power was fuelled by thorough planning, initiated almost two years earlier, which infused the party workers with a natural drive and self-motivation as the election drew near, enabling them to outperform their Opposition counterparts. They adeptly engaged with voters, built a sense of trust, and ensured that they were not distracted by contentious proposals, such as the caste census.
The overarching goal consistently revolved around reinforcing booth-level activities. This involved the identification of active workers, providing them with digital literacy, leveraging religious and cultural entities, and engaging with women voters, backward caste groups, and tribal communities. Booths with comparatively weaker party presence were singled out, and cadres underwent training. Clear directives were issued to compensate for the vote deficit observed in the previous election.
Chemistry Between Senior Leaders, Booth Workers
Numerous coordination meetings were conducted to ensure that the election strategy was effectively communicated from the senior leadership down to every party worker at the booth level. Dedicated senior leaders supervised the election efforts in each district, collaborating closely with representatives in the local bodies. The efficacy of this closed group is evidenced by the fact that they conducted over fifty meetings with the state leadership to discuss the concerns of party workers.
Five months ahead of the election, Prime Minister Modi attended the Mera Booth Sabse Majboot program in Bhopal, interacted with party workers, and delivered a nearly two-hour-long speech. During this address, he underscored the pivotal role that the party workers in Madhya Pradesh played in elevating the party as the largest political entity globally. Union Home Minister Amit Shah dedicated several hours to strategise 15 special committees, each tasked with specific functions such as candidate finalisation, financing, advertisement, road shows, public interaction, and social media management, among others, all trickling down to the grassroots level.
Crisis Management Efforts
As the elections rapidly approached, the party initiated internal surveys to gauge public sentiment, and emphasis was placed on the timely delivery of government projects, and party workers were engaged to maximise the outreach of welfare schemes. The party not only concentrated on mobilising existing members but also sought to boost its strength through an extensive membership drive, bringing in individuals from diverse backgrounds and communities. Over a million and a half members were added to fortify the party's core, while tens of thousands of WhatsApp groups were established for digital connect with the electorate. In total, over four million booth-level workers laboured tirelessly to bring the leadership's electoral vision to fruition.
From the outside, securing 163 out of 230 seats may suggest a sweeping win, but deep down, all was not well. 38 percent of cabinet ministers faced defeat in the election. Seven Parliament members, including three Union ministers, had to be roped in to save face, and half-a-dozen union ministers burnt the midnight oil over various activities. Shah had to camp in the state for a desperate firefighting effort to minimise the rebel threat and internal discord. If these challenges were somewhat overshadowed by the election outcome, it sends a strong signal to everyone, particularly the Opposition parties, that they can draw inspiration from the intricacies of the Madhya Pradesh success story to influence electoral outcomes, through efficient utilisation of party resources.
Sreejith Panickar is a political commentator and an independent researcher. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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