Amit Shah set for week's trip to assess Bihar poll preparation

NEW DELHI: With the Bihar elections acquiring increasing significance for the Modi government's capacity to maintain and accelerate its policy agenda, senior BJP members led by party chief Amit Shah undertook a comprehensive review of the campaign ahead of the first phase of polling due on October 12.

Along with health minister Jagat Nadda, petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan and chemicals and fertilizers minister Ananth Kumar, the BJP president confabulated with the party's Bihar leadership, including former deputy CM Sushil Modi, in Patna over the nitty-gritty of the campaign in various regions.

Apart from the regional equation, national politics has also cast a shadow on the election as BJP needs a victory to score a morale boosting win ahead of the winter ses sion of Parliament. Congress's attack on PM Narendra Modi, charging him with exaggerating hardships of his childhood and dramatising his mother's circumstances, clearly indicates that the party is set to oppose the NDA agenda on all counts.

BJP sources said the focus of the review was on tying loose ends and gearing up the party machinery for a big push ahead of the polls.

The discussions revolved around priming the party setup. Shah is expected to spend a week travelling and holding meetings in the state, going over the preparedness of local leaders and candidates and taking stock of logistics. It not clear if even an NDA win will see Congress relent on its decision to oppose key legislations like the constitutional amendment on the GST bill.But a positive result can help the government rally support of other parties and try for a compromise with Congress.