Perhaps, a first in the BJP, Lingayat strongman B.S. Yeddyurappa was named as the party president and also the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Karnataka, at least a year before the May 2018 Assembly polls. But when it comes to naming the candidates, the BJP's central leadership has sure raised the bar and is relying on its internal surveys and feedback about its sitting MLAs and the potential candidates, too, before finalising the candidates.
BJP president Amit Shah, who has leapt on to the Karnataka election bandwagon after a racy Gujarat polls, has jolted the state leaders out of their comfort zones, to make BJP's “Mission 150” a success in Karnataka.
During the recent marathon meeting of the Karnataka BJP, Shah has made it amply clear that the ongoing Parivarthana Yatra (rally for transformation) led by Yeddyurappa is meant for reaching out to the masses, energising the cadres, countering the rivals' tall claims and to consolidate BJP's votebank. Visibly unhappy with Yeddyurappa unilaterally announcing the names of the candidates all through his rally, Shah reminded the party that rally is not the right platform to “dole out promises” to potential candidates.
Though in a subtle message to the ticket lobbyists and also the state president Yeddyurappa, Shah, in no uncertain terms has made it clear that only hard work and team work will pay off. According to sources, the central leadership will pick one of the three names suggested by state leaders for each constituency at an appropriate time.
“Party is supreme” - is perhaps the one strong message, Shah hopes to remind his partymen ahead of the crucial elections where the party will be fighting a strong leader like Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to reclaim Karnataka. It is a strategy that has worked in Uttar Pradesh as the BJP leadership believes that elections have to be fought on party's credibility and image. As a senior BJP leader pointed out, “People come and go, but party is a constant.”
For the “party with a difference”, it is time to bury all differences, is the diktat. That implies no open spats, attacks on Yeddyurappa or senior leaders, and also no “ugly and inflammatory attack” on opponents, too, as it can embarrass the party leadership and also wane public support.
The failure to mobilise supporters at the Parivarthana Yatra initially, has been the reason for Shah handing out the commandments. The elected representatives, office bearers, leaders and the cadres have their tasks clearly cut out. In a rejig of responsibilities, the sitting MLAs will have to work extensively in his or her constituency to energise the cadres and also shoulder the responsibility of an additional constituency. Similarly, the party MPs will now be required to work across eight assembly segments and show results. The rallies, protests and verbal attack on the Congress party, the Siddaramaiah government and ministers will have to be more strategic, aggressive, and substantiated with facts.
In short, the leaders and cadres should get used to juggling between multiple roles – even as the party goes ahead with rallies, protests, voter outreach, highlighting the Modi government's achievements and enhancing its social media presence to woo urban voters—a tough exercise for the state unit that has been buckling under infighting and used to conventional methods of campaigning.
A word of caution by Shah is to never underestimate the rival. Unlike Gujarat, where the local leadership of Congress was perceived to be weak, Siddaramaiah's leadership in Karnataka demands a powerful offensive by the BJP to dislodge the ruling party. Added to this, the triangular contest with the JD(S), too, being a major player in many constituency, has sure made it an uphill task for the saffron party, admit BJP leaders.
