NEW DELHI: The newly elected national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Nitin Nabin, has tried to send a message that he will not delay decisions by immediately appointing observers for election-bound states. However, current indications suggest that he may take time in forming the new team. This is because the National Council meeting, which was supposed to be held immediately after the election, has not yet been scheduled. It is being discussed that the meeting will be held in the second week of February.
Nitin Nabin’s name will be officially approved at that meeting. Only after that can he move towards making changes. However, it does not appear that anything will happen immediately. The formation of the new BJP team is also linked to the restructuring of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s team and the Rajya Sabha elections, which are scheduled for April-May. This time, several senior leaders will be exiting the Rajya Sabha. One or two ministers may also be dropped. This clearly indicates that the restructuring of the Prime Minister’s team could extend until June-July.
Important decisions also need to be taken regarding several states. The Uttar Pradesh cabinet expansion is pending, and several controversies are ongoing in Uttarakhand. Even the future of the in-charge, Dushyant Gautam, remains uncertain. Five ministerial positions are vacant in Uttarakhand. Elections are to be held in both states in February next year, and whatever decisions are taken will be made this year.
PM Modi’s focus will currently be on the Budget Session and the five Assembly elections scheduled for April-May. As per the BJP’s strategy so far regarding Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Puducherry, it is becoming clear that the focus will be more on Kerala, Assam, and Tamil Nadu. The battle in West Bengal appears to be of a different nature.
The BJP is hopeful of coming to power through a coalition government in Tamil Nadu this time. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has personally taken charge, and the RSS is also active. The massive crowd at Prime Minister Modi’s election rally on Friday has boosted the BJP’s morale. The party may hold more rallies addressed by PM Modi in Tamil Nadu. The BJP is optimistic in Tamil Nadu due to strong anti-incumbency sentiment against the DMK. Secondly, there is infighting between the Congress and the DMK. On the other hand, the divided factions of the AIADMK are uniting and aligning with the BJP. New president Nitin Nabin will also attempt to ensure that the BJP opens its account in the South under his leadership.
As far as Kerala is concerned, the BJP has been encouraged by winning the mayor’s seat in Thiruvananthapuram. Prime Minister Modi himself has made two or three visits, and the BJP’s vote share has increased. Signals from the Prime Minister’s speech on Friday indicate that the Congress will be the main target, with special focus on the relationship between the Muslim League and the Congress. Experts say that factionalism could harm the Congress. The BJP will attempt to ensure that the Left-led alliance returns to power, making it easier for the party to gain power in the future.
