Bengal BJP to follow UP strategy to make inroads in Mamata bastion

KOLKATA: Bharatiya Janata Party's Bengal unit is likely to replicate the party's election strategy in Uttar Pradesh to improve its chances in the state.

The state unit of the BJP has given enough hints that it would follow the Uttar Pradesh model while running its campaigns for panchayat polls in 2018 and Lok Sabha polls in 2019 in the state.

BJP president Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be touring Bengal -- while Shah will be in Bengal for three days from April 25 and is likely to hold a public rally in Siliguri, Singh will address party workers on April 14.


In Uttar Pradesh too, senior BJP leaders from Delhi had camped in the state ahead of the Assembly polls, and Bajrang Dal and RSS had also chipped in during the elections.

Similarly, a lot of activities by the RSS, including armed rallies, especially during Ramnavami last week, were seen in Bengal, unlike in the past.

In Uttar Pradesh, BJP did not project anyone as its chief ministerial candidate, and yet managed to win by a huge margin.

In Bengal too, no popular BJP face has emerged to take on chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

“Assembly polls in Bengal are scheduled to take place in 2021. Naturally, there's no need to project anyone as chief ministerial candidate immediately. Our immediate concern is next year's panchayat and parliamentary polls in 2019. We are preparing for those polls with absolute support from our central leadership,“ said BJP Bengal president Dilip Ghosh, who supported armed rallies taken out by the RSS during Ramnavami last week.

BJP insiders made it clear they would be enjoying support from the RSS in running its campaign for every elections -- be it rural or LS elections.

“Organisations belonging to Sangh Parivar worked for our party in Uttar Pradesh during elections. In Bengal too, they would be working for our party,“ said a senior BJP leader.