Lack of strong agenda makes BJP campaign ineffective in Telangana

Unlike in other States, the BJP has not focussed on organisational structure or developed a legitimate counter to the ruling Congress and the principal opposition party BRS.

Hyderabad: The BJP is grappling with various challenges in Telangana, including the absence of an effective agenda against rival parties to corner them during the poll campaign.

The BJP State leadership’s failure to assimilate outsiders, fractured unity among veteran members, a lack of foresight in utilising the expertise of newer leaders and the limited impact of Hindutva ideology in Telangana, is worrying the party. The party is purely depending on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the schemes and programmes being implemented by the NDA government at the Centre. The BJP slogan of ‘Modi’s guarantee’ and ‘Ab ki baar 400 par’ is not catching up with the people of the State.

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Political analysts believe that a lack of agenda-setting was affecting the BJP’s chances in Telangana. Unlike in other States, the BJP has not focussed on organisational structure or developed a legitimate counter to the ruling Congress and the principal opposition party BRS.

Except targeting the Congress on its failure to implement the six guarantees and the BRS on the issue of alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project and phone tapping issue, the BJP candidates have no other issues to corner them. In fact, the candidates are making similar kinds of allegations on a daily basis making their campaigning ineffective. “The party’s electoral and political agenda is proving insufficient to gain the support base of the people in the State,” a BJP leader said.

Sources in the party say it’s not just the new entrants, even among BJP leaders, there are a lot of groups and infighting. The influx of new leaders has only accentuated the issue, the sources added.

The BJP loyalists too are unhappy with the party leadership as a majority of the seats have been allotted to leaders who joined the party from the rival parties. This is also adding to the problem of the party as the local leaders are not cooperating with the candidates who joined from other parties. A large number of dissident leaders are expressing their dissatisfaction with their positions in the party, claiming to have been sidelined.