Lok Sabha elections: BJP forms committee to screen potential joiners
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has constituted a new committee to evaluate members who wish to join it ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. With an influx of other party leaders expected, the move is aimed at reducing the chances of admitting those who may not stay loyal during tough times or after the elections. On Tuesday, senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers Bhupender Yadav, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Mansukh Mandaviya, attended a high-level party meeting in New Delhi.
Why does this story matter?
While the dates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections have not been announced yet, the ruling BJP is reportedly expecting an influx of lawmakers from other parties, particularly in Uttar Pradesh. The formation of a screening panel, therefore, becomes crucial to forbid leaders who might prove disloyal later. The committee might reject leaders who seem hesitant over certain issues or impose conditions for joining the party. Those suspected of defecting from the BJP might also be screened out.
Senior BJP leaders discuss election strategies
Besides the aforementioned Union ministers, Tuesday's meeting also saw the participation of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP general secretaries Tarun Chugh and Sunil Bansal. Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda were also expected to join the meeting, per reports. Apart from the creation of the screening committee, strategizing for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and discussion on the consecration (pran pratishtha) ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, UP, topped the agenda.
Screening panel to hold first meeting on January 6
The BJP's screening committee is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Saturday (January 6). The party has, meanwhile, already started preparing for the polls and mapped areas for party cadres to focus on. Members will organize conferences or "jan sabhas" for professionals and caste groups. Its election campaign is expected to be mounted on two pillars vis-a-vis the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's past two governments and the promise of building on the foundations laid so far.
Will PM Modi return to power?
Separately, The Guardian's column written by its South Asia Correspondent Hannah Ellis-Petersen recently suggested that PM Modi is set to return to power for a third term at the Centre. Factors contributing to this prediction include his popularity, the BJP's recent election victories, and the emotive issue of the upcoming inauguration of Ayodhya's Ram Mandir. The saffron party's victory in the recently held assembly elections in three Hindi heartland states—Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan—provided further testimony to this possibility.
