Karnataka Effect: How BJP Is Changing Plans For Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
NDTV
Speaking off the record, senior party leaders said the BJP had decided to keep caste equations in mind while deciding the leadership issue and candidates in all four states.
The Karnataka crash has pushed the BJP to tweak its campaign template for the next round of state elections due later this year. Four crucial states are going to polls -- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Chhattisgarh. Of these, only Madhya Pradesh is ruled by the BJP and the party is hoping to cash in on the revolving door policy in Rajasthan and anti-incumbency in the two others to work in its favour.
Speaking off the record, senior party leaders said the BJP had decided to keep caste equations in mind while deciding the leadership issue and candidates in all four states. This was a hard lesson from Karnataka, where its decision to remove BS Yediyurappa from the top post and deny tickets to Jagdish Shettar and Laxman Sadavi pushed the Lingayats towards the Congress.
If need be, the party is also open to electoral alliances with smaller parties, sources said. There is speculation that joining forces with HD Kumaraswamy in Karnataka would have helped the BJP in a handful of seats.
The biggest change, though, will be the focus on local leaders instead of the overwhelming reliance on Central leaders and state Chief Ministers. Allowing local leaders to craft the campaign had worked well for the Congress.
