BJP to throw full might in first phase of polls

Raipur, October 08

BJP has decided to throw its full might in first phase of polls slated to be held in 18 assembly seats on November 11 in Chhattisgarh. The party has planned to organize workers’ convention in all the 18 constituencies. The major attraction in these conventions will be BJP’s star campaigners ranging from top political heavyweights to bollywood actors.

The state BJP leadership has directed all the district units to complete preparations for workers’ convention by October 13. Besides the district heads have also been instructed to ensure presence of party’s local office-bearers and workers in these events.

The workers’ convention will commence from Chitrakot assembly seat on October 15. On the following day, the conventions will be held in Dongargarh, Khujji, Khairagarh, Bijapur, Sukma, Bastar, Keshkal, Kanker and Bhanupratappur Vidhan Sabha areas. On October 16, the party’s top brasses will interact with workers in remaining nine constituencies, i.e. Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Mohla Manpur, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Jagdalpur, Kondagaon and Antagarh.

The star campaigners, whom the state unit has sent invitation, include Narendra Modi, Lal Krishna Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu, Murli Manohar Joshi, Ananth Kumar, Shahnawaz Hussain, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Jagat Prakash Nadda, Dharmedra Pradhan, Hema Malini, Dharmendra, Smriti Irani and Navjot Singh Siddhu.

The first phase of polls is more significant for BJP because it would not only have to defend 15 out of 18 seats, but also have to snatch the remaining three seats from Congress to have an edge over the latter in second phase.

Sources say besides CM Raman Singh, the party will also use its prime minister candidate Narendra Modi’s face in the hustings to increase its vote-share. This time, the BJP will contest polls on development and good governance cards.

The party has indicated of announcing the first list of its poll candidates after navratri. The teams of poll observers, who have interacted with party office-bearers at mandal level to prepare list of probable candidates, have started submitting their reports to state leadership. Some of these teams have also held talks with the party’s national joint general secretary (organization) Saudan Singh pertaining to their reports. The party’s poll committee will discuss on these reports in next couple of days and evolve consensus on appropriate candidates.