There is speculation that the Election Commission of India (ECI) may announce the Lok Sabha election schedule in February instead of March. The BJP may start announcing its candidates the same month.
The Assembly elections in some states including Haryana and Maharashtra to be held by this yearend, may be brought forward so as to be clubbed with the Lok Sabha elections. The Lok Sabha elections of 2019 had been announced on March 10 and were held in seven phases. So this time also the elections may be held in seven phases. BJP strategists are calculating dates in view of the party’s strategy pertaining to the Ram Temple campaign. The pran pratishtha of Ram in Ayodhya will be held on January 22. Even though the opposition is raising the issue of the temple being incomplete, there is a hugely positive atmosphere among the public. BJP’s affiliates such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad, RSS and Bajrang Dal are already active globally to create an atmosphere on the lines of sentiments related to the Ram Temple. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is himself announcing several programmes for this year. Clearly, the opposition is falling into the trap of the BJP as far as this emotive issue is concerned.
The Congress has already steered clear of the consecration ceremony terming it as a BJP event. Other parties continue to be in a dilemma over whether to attend the event or not. The consecration of Ram Temple on January 22 will also mark the beginning of BJP’s campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. PM Modi’s speech on the occasion will be full of messages. After the inauguration of the temple, groups will be sent from across the country to Ayodhya for Ram Darshan. Ram Mandir has been a core issue for BJP which always led from the front for Ram Mandir. This was the issue that catapulted BJP from three seats to 300 seats in the Lok Sabha. Now the BJP’s slogan is for “400 paar”, which means LS seats above the 400-mark. Experts say that BJP can achieve this goal with this issue. Moreover, the Ram Mandir issue can also unite the North and South. So the BJP will raise Ram Mandir issue in South India as much as it raises in North India. It was the Ram Mandir issue which had finished caste politics. It united Hindus who were divided on caste lines. The “Chalo Ayodhya” campaign will peak in April as April 17 is the Ram Navami Day, the birthday of Lord Ram.
The government has convened the budget session from January 31 to February 9. The government will present an interim budget on February 1 keeping in view the Lok Sabha polls. This will be the last budget of the Modi government’s second term. The new government will present a full budget in 18th Lok Sabha. Parliament’s brief session is unlikely to be smooth. It will be interesting to see when the ECI announces poll dates after the end of the budget session. If the election is announced in February, the voting could begin in March and end in April. This will coincide with the peak of the campaign related to Ram Mandir darshan in April. State BJP units are therefore preparing a panel of names for the Lok Sabha elections.