BJP forgoes manifesto this time

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 29

With just a week to go before the Delhi elections, the BJP today marked a significant shift in its strategy, opting for a more aggressive campaign and a daily dose of five questions for AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.

Besides, the party decided to come out with a vision document instead of a manifesto, apparently to circumvent differences among state leaders on the issues like the control of police and the statehood.

While big guns senior Cabinet ministers like Arun Jaitley and Chief Ministers Shivraj Chauhan and Manohar Lal Khattar are pitching in with full force, party chief Amit Shah is micromanaging every aspect of the Delhi campaign and holding a regular brain storming sessions with trusted lieutenants.

Sources said key workers had been asked to report directly to Jaitley, who will look after the election strategy.
Apparently, all is not going the way the saffron party would like to in the high-stake Delhi elections. Results of an opinion poll and some internal surveys have indicated a certain edge for the AAP.

Sources said internally the party is facing deep turbulence. Delhi leaders, who are seething at the "para-dropping of Kiran Bedi", said "the move has proved counter-productive for the party in what was otherwise a cake-walk. Bedi has not been able to achieve the kind of results Shah hoped for. She has not been able to catch the imagination of crowds like Kejriwal".

BJP leaders also said the party's campaign was not reaching the masses, perhaps due to the dissent in leaders and cadres over tickets to outsiders. They talk of "lack of involvement among workers", citing the open protests outside the Pandit Pant Marg office as proof. "Tickets were given to former Congress and AAP leaders instead of those who have been working for the party for decades," they said.

What is also adding to the BJP's problems is that anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare appears all set for a comeback. He is threatening protests against the BJP government on issues like Lok Pal, black money and Land Act.

Apart from Cabinet and Chief Ministers the party has called in 120 MPs and hundreds of party workers from 13 states to campaing in the state. There will be 250 BJP rallies in the city till the last day of campaign of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address at least two. 

AAP unfazed, says ask us 50 questions

"I am amazed that the BJP has same "old and boring" set of questions and is making a mountain out of a mole hill. Just want to tell the BJP that they can ask us 50, not five questions, but at least they should come up with a new set of questions. It shows that they are nervous and scared." Yogendra Yadav, AAP senior leader

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