BJP’s Lok Sabha poll strategy in Chhattisgarh: Fresh faces, Hindutva pitch

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party is preparing to repeat the strategy adopted in its recent successful assembly elections in Chhattisgarh for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls as well.

Sources stated that the BJP is planning to give a chance to new faces in almost half of the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Apart from changing candidates to remove anti-incumbency, the party has also decided to continue with its policy of strongly backing the Hindutva pitch in the tribal-dominated state.

It is understood that a mix of both youth and experience will be seen among the selected candidates. Candidates may be given a second chance on some seats, but faces will be changed on 50 per cent of the seats. 

The BJP had made a similar successful experiment in recent Assembly polls where it had changed candidates and removed the Congress’ Bhupesh Baghel government from power.

The decision to follow this strategy was made at a two-day marathon meeting of BJP’s top leadership, which has rebooted the saffron unit into poll mode for the general elections.

Candidates with better chances of winning, young as well as experienced and qualified candidates will be considered for the Lok Sabha polls. 

After dividing the 11 Lok Sabha seats into clusters, the discussion on the names of the candidates has intensified. A senior BJP leader said that this time the party can give a chance to new candidates on five to six seats.

The BJP has also initiated an internal survey regarding the possible candidates on all 11 seats and their final reports will be taken into consideration for finalization of tickets. 

BJP chief JP Nadda is soon expected to review the work of clusters and survey reports to allow the announcement of finalised candidates’ names much ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. 

Law to stop religious conversion soon?

The issue of religious conversions has been an emotive one amongst the tribal and local population of the state and activities of missionaries were vehemently opposed by the saffron unit ahead of recent state assembly polls. 

The BJP leadership had indicated, ahead of Assembly polls, that stringent laws are set to be implemented in the tribal-dominated state to stop religious conversion. And the Vishnu Deo Sai government is soon likely to move towards bringing in a law to punish religious conversions done through allurements or pressure, sources said.

The state’s tribal districts have been bearing the brunt of religious conversions over the past several years, which the BJP has been blaming on the then Congress government.

“The religious conversions should be stopped. There should not be any adverse impact on the civilization and original culture of Chhattisgarh,” top BJP sources stated.

The saffron unit has also begun utilising the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya to its favour as the state government begins to publicise Lord Ram's association with the state. 

Lord Ram is understood to have spent his time during Vanvaas in the jungles that now form a part of Chhattisgarh. A trail of Lord Ram's movement through the path is also being developed in the state.

Moreover, with the Enforcement Directorate filing an FIR against several senior ranking Congress office bearers of the previous Bhupesh Baghel government in the liquor and coal scam cases, the BJP is also likely to rake up corruption as another issue against the opposition, sources said.

With 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh, the party hopes to do well in the 2024 general elections and aims to retain or even improve on its 2019 tally of 9 seats in the lower house of Parliament as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks his third term in office.