After losing Hindi heartland, Amit Shah to meet leaders today to introspect on setback

After the loss in assembly election, it is time for the Bhartiya Janta Party to introspect. BJP president Amit Shah will meet with senior leaders on Thursday, December 13 to discuss reasons behind the defeats the saffron party faced in Hindi heartland states Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, according to senior leaders familiar with the matter.

Ahead of this, PM Narendra Modi will speak to the BJP MPs at the parliamentary party meeting in the Parliament complex, which is held weekly. BJP is also expected to hold a meeting of its national council in New Delhi in the second week of January, when 2,000 BJP leaders from across the country will assemble to discuss the national elections.

“The meetings were decided before the results of the assembly elections came in,” said a BJP office-bearer on the condition of anonymity. But, the outcome of the assembly elections in the five states, particularly the three in the Hindi heartland that were under the BJP’s rule, will feature in the discussions as the party prepares for 2019 general election, he said.

The BJP officials said that the party’s national office bearers, state unit presidents, in-charges of the different states and some others invitees will attend the meeting called by BJP President in New Delhi to see for the preparedness for the Lok Sabha polls expected in April-May.

Another BJP office-bearer said the results have exposed the limitation of BJP’s organisation in states where it is in power.

“We ruled Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for the last 15 years, but addressing farm distress, creating more jobs, and dealing with a more aggressive Congress are big challenges confronting the party,” he said.

The leader added that Shah will seek feedback about the ground situation in other states, and each state unit has been asked to give a report on organisational activities, political challenges, and future programmes. 

Sidharth Mishra, president of the Center for Reforms, Development and Justice said “ The Tuesday results have shown that success, or defeat, of any party in an election does not depend on how a party is organisationally prepared. There are other critical issues that the BJP needs to address. Such a meeting can be an occasion for Amit Shah to do some honest introspection.  Or else such an exercise will be futile,” he said.

The Congress dismissed the BJP’s plan of action. “It is not a case of organisational failure but a policy failure, governance is not just governing but like a good doctor, you need to feel the pulse of the people. You cannot substitute it with propaganda,” said Congress leader Tom Vadakkan.