To take on resurgent Congress in Haryana, Amit Shah takes charge of BJP campaign

Pradeep Sharma

Chandigarh, July 15

Union Home Minister and BJP’s key poll strategist Amit Shah is coming to Haryana tomorrow for the second time in less than three weeks in what is being seen as him taking control of saffron party’s election campaign in the poll-bound Haryana.

In the backdrop of the below-par performance of the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections in which it could retain only five of the 10 seats, Shah will be in Haryana tomorrow to address an OBC conference.

Saffron party’s best bet for state

The Centre is serious about Assembly elections in Haryana. That’s why the party high command has deputed Shah, its best bet, to take command of the election campaign to lead the party to victory for third time in a row. Vishal Seth, BJP poll mgmt cell convener

In fact, Shah’s ‘active’ interest in Haryana poll campaign is obviously aimed at sending a clear message to cross section of the party, especially senior leaders, to put up a united front in the run-up to the Assembly polls. The appointment of key strategist and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as incharge for the Assembly elections was the first sign of Shah keeping a close watch on Haryana.

After a ‘comparatively’ junior Nayab Singh Saini was installed as Haryana Chief Minister replacing Manohar Lal Khattar in March this year, there were murmurs of protests within the party. In fact, Anil Vij, a senior minister in the Khattar Cabinet, did register his protest at not being ‘consulted’ for Saini’s appointment. Vij eventually did not make it to the Saini Cabinet.

Though no senior leader went public with his views, the appointment of another ‘junior’ leader Mohan Lal Badoli as the BJP chief was seen as another attempt by the party high command to ‘sideline’ senior party leaders. Badoli, a Brahmin, fitted into the non-Jat narrative of the party. The OBCs and Brahmins constitute about 42% of the total voters in Haryana.

Keeping these factors in mind, Shah has taken over the election campaign in his hands. “The Centre is serious about Assembly elections in Haryana. That’s why the party high command has deputed Shah, its best bet, to take command of the election campaign to lead the party victory for third time in a row,” said Vishal Seth, convener, BJP poll management cell.

Sources said the OBC rally at Mahendragarh tomorrow will be a continuation of the June 29 Panckukla rally where Shah had declared Saini, the OBC face of the BJP, as the chief ministerial candidate for the coming Assembly polls. The rally is intended to send a clear signal that the party wanted to fight the coming elections on the non-Jat plank pinning its hopes on the OBCs, Brahmins and Dalits.