The recently-concluded BJP national executive meet was not just about Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu’s “Narendra Modi is God’s gift to India” hyperbole — though it may have hogged media headlines.
The party, under re-elected president Amit Shah, decided to build on the nationalism plank, and considered the recent controversy around “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Vande Matram” slogans as a “godsend”. It also felt that the Kanhaiya episode had helped it project itself as the “sole nationalist voice” across the political spectrum.
“‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Matram’ were Congress leitmotifs during the freedom struggle. If they now consider them as divisive and polarising slogans, and gift them to us as BJP’s trademark slogans, what more could we ask for,” said a Union minister, not wishing to be named.
“Refusal to hail Bharat in the name of freedom is unacceptable. Refusal to chant victory to Bharat is tantamount to disrespecting our Constitution. It is not merely a slogan; it was a mantra of inspiration to countless freedom fighters during the Independence struggle,” the BJP’s political resolution, adopted at the meet, read.
The party plans to use this in a big way in the coming elections, and hit out at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for siding with the Communists.
During his speech at the national executive meet, Modi is believed to have recounted instances, starting from Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s martyrdom, to reinforce how the party came to be identified with nationalism. A decision was taken to commemorate the days and events associated with Mookerjee, Deen Dayal Upadhyay and B.R. Amebdkar.
The party now also wants to be synonymous with development — showcasing the progress made by Modi as PM and various state governments where both industry and agriculture have clocked impressive growth rates.
“We want to tell our rank and file that a mix of nationalism and development would be BJP’s ideology for all the times to come. If the earlier battle was between the Congress and the rest, now it would be between the BJP and the rest, and we are well prepared for that,” said a party general secretary.
Given the anti-BJP sentiment in mainstream media, the party is encouraging its leaders and workers to take to social media in a big way — with Modi leading the way.
In fact, as the national executive deliberated upon the coming elections, it was also felt that a candidate’s following on social media would be one of the parameters for party ticket to contest elections.
BW Reporters
Suman K Jha was the deputy editor with BW Businessworld