Gujarat Election Result 2022 | BJP's micro-strategy behind landslide victory

Supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hold their party symbols and flags as they celebrate in Gandhinagar. (Image courtesy: REUTERS/File)

The Bhartiya Janata Party's landslide victory in Gujarat is viewed as a major outcome of the party’s micro-strategy of creating page committees in the state.

In the run-up to assembly polls, the party had intensified its Page Committee Maha Jan Sampark, creating 15 lakh page committees with 82 lakh members.

The page committee members were tasked to extend the party’s outreach to connect with more than 4.90 crore voters in the state. The page being referred to is the printed page of the electoral rolls in every booth.

At least 10 members were given the responsibility of each page which usually has the names of 60 voters on it.

“Across Gujarat, we had 82 lakh Page members, one person from each of the BJP affiliated families. They were working on the ground for the last two years, ensuring people get benefits of state and centre-sponsored schemes,” said Zubin Ashara BJP’s Gujarat Media head.

The committee of ten committee members was headed by a Page Pramukh, who had the responsibility of ten families to ensure their names are mentioned in the electoral list, Zubin added.

“On the day of voting, Page Pramukhs and committee members have ensured people come out and vote. We have got 50-55% vote share on every electoral page,” said Zubin.

In 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had contested Lok Sabha elections from Vadodra, this micro-level strategy was brought into practice. However, the state unit of the BJP extended it throughout Gujarat over the years.

The BJP on Thursday (December 8) registered a historic win in Gujarat by bagging 156 seats, smashing the records of the 2002 election when the party under the leadership of the then chief minister Narendra Modi had won 127 seats.

The party secured the highest-ever vote share of 52.5 percent in the state and overwhelmingly defeated the opposition Congress, which won a paltry 17 seats. In 2017, Congress had won 77 seats and restricted the BJP to 99.

Senior BJP leader Bhupendra Patel will be taking oath as chief minister of Gujarat on December 12 in Gandhinagar. The ceremony will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.