Elections are due in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Haryana this year while Delhi elections are due in January next year. The BJP leadership wants to start campaigning early.
Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in four states, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to start its election campaign for the upcoming state polls. Members of the BJP have indicated that the party is planning to organise its first national executive meeting after the victory in 2019 general elections, in Jharkhand which is likely to go to polls in October-November.
Elections are due in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Haryana this year while Delhi elections are due in January next year.
The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were due this year but a final decision will be taken by the Election Commission based on the prevailing security situation in the state.
The choice of Jharkhand for the first national executive meeting is interesting because chief minister Raghubar Das is the first chief minister since the formation of the state in 2000 to have completed a full five-year term.
The BJP leadership wants to start campaigning for the upcoming polls in the four states early because the party is in power in Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Haryana. Senior leaders of the party said that since Congress will be the main opposition party, they want to start the campaign early.
“We are thinking of organising the first national executive meeting after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Jharkhand. Since BJP has managed to provide a 5-year full-term government in the state, it is a big achievement for the party given the political turmoil the state has seen,” said a senior BJP leader in the know of developments.
Members of the BJP also said that the government in Jharkhand is also unique because Raghubar Das is the first non-tribal chief minister of the tribal-dominated state. Jharkhand assembly has 28 scheduled tribe (ST) seats and 9 scheduled caste (SC) seats in the 81 member assembly.
The timing of the national executive is also crucial because it will start the official process for the election of the new BJP president to replace home minister Amit Shah. Although former union minister and senior BJP leader JP Nadda is the working president of the party and most likely candidate to replace Shah, the formal process will kick start during the national executive meeting.
