The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is seeing the forthcoming elections to gram panchayats as an opportunity to create political space for its cadre by ensuring the victory of a large number of its party workers at the grassroots. Party strategists feel that it is in an advantageous position, being in power in the State.
Earlier, the BJP was using the gram panchayat polls to make inroads into rural areas to widen its base in a bid to shrug off its “urban party” image. However, it has now been able to establish its hold in rural areas in several districts, barring Old Mysore region where it has started getting foothold only now. This time, the party wants to focus on such areas which have hitherto remained elusive, said a leader.
In the panchayat polls, the BJP is also trying to take advantage of the migration of several MLAs from other parties. The party, which claims that it won more than 50% of panchayat seats in the previous polls, is focussing on extending its hold in the areas of these new entrants.
The importance being given by the BJP to panchayat polls is clearly visible with its national organising general secretary B.L. Santosh himself chairing the meeting to review poll preparations. The party has launched a campaign titled gram swarajya under which it is holding two conventions by its leaders in every district. It has already formed six teams of leaders to hold these conventions.
Also, it has adopted a pancha sutra (five-point) formula as per which it will set up a war-room and call centre in all the districts, besides appointing page pramukhs (volunteers to woo voters in each page of voters’ list). The party is holding family/community gatherings at every booth level. It is also constituting a five-member committee titled pancha ratna under which persons from SC/ST communities, besides woman and youth, would be appointed at the booth level to monitor preparations.