New Delhi/Ahmedabad,
Dec 21: Rattled to an extent by outcome of Gujarat polls, now the saffron
party poll strategists feel that the new challenges posed by Congress and the
troika of Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani can actually throw up
new opportunities for BJP.
The party feels just concluded Gujarat assembly elections
show that Rahul Gandhi is not yet a challenger to Prime Minister Narendra Modi
as Congress still remains tied up to the politics of 'outsiders'.
According to senior party leaders, he saffron party's initial analysis suggest the loss of seats could not be attributed to the Congress "political agenda".
This would mean Congress or Rahul Gandhi have not yet emerged as "political challenger(s)" to Narendra Modi as is being made out to be, the source said.
"The Congress party's political approach or agenda did not have much to do to our party losing out a number of seats. We lost some of the seats because Congress played up their 'outsourcing' card," the leader said referring to Congress banking heavily during the elections on Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani.
Even BJP poll managers feel the Congress actually helped BJP in North Gujarat -- by fielding Alpesh from Radhonpur and Jignesh from Vadgam -- as what was Congress stronghold in 2012 has now been taken over by the BJP.
The saffron party MPs from Gujarat met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday in the presence of BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as both are also Rajya Sabha members from Gujarat.
The BJP leaders also say that even as Muslims put up a united face in seats like Jamalpur-Khadia and Dariapur in Ahmedabad; in many constituencies Muslims remained divided especially on the soft-Hindutva card played by Congress.
"In at least 19 seats, BJP defeated Congress by a vote margin of around 1500-2000. In these seats Muslim voters and at times even Muslim Independent candidates made crucial differences," the source said.
The saffron party poll strategists, therefore, now say it is time the BJP "sit and get its together with a renewed vigour" as the "outsourcing politics" would actually expose Congress weaknesses.
"It is time we think of new opportunities those come with the new challenges. The outsourcing is a different style of politics. Congress is not realising -- this exposes their weaknesses.....To an extent from organisational point of view Congress organisation has weakened in Gujarat - despite their number of seats increasing," the source said adding this itself would open up new avenues for the BJP.
It is in this context, they say, Prime Minister's appeal to the BJP lawmakers not to be be 'complacent' and there is need to work harder and expand party base makes sense.
As BJP would explore 'new avenues', sources said the focus should shift how the BJP support base can be expanded in sections where the saffron party did not have much significance.
"One such group is Muslim section itself as the soft-Hindutva played by Rahul Gandhi and Congress machinery getting hijacked by non-political stars and paratroopers (Hardik, Alpesh and Jignesh) have frustrated genuine Congress workers including Muslims," the source said.
The BJP poll managers in fact claim in some pockets - Muslims indulged in "tactical voting and helped BJP" indirectly.
In Surat region itself -- BJP's win would not have been possible without Muslim support in at least two segments of Surat East and Limbayat.
Sangitaben Patil won the Limbayat seat bagging 93585 votes as against 61634 by Congress candidate Ravindra Patil in an assembly constituency that has substantial Muslim votes.
Sources said a message had gone in political circle and even amongst Muslims that giving 'prominence' to elements those came from outside was not acceptable to "genuine Congress workers" as well.
"It is this space, the BJP can work on and try to expand the base," the source said. UNI
According to senior party leaders, he saffron party's initial analysis suggest the loss of seats could not be attributed to the Congress "political agenda".
This would mean Congress or Rahul Gandhi have not yet emerged as "political challenger(s)" to Narendra Modi as is being made out to be, the source said.
"The Congress party's political approach or agenda did not have much to do to our party losing out a number of seats. We lost some of the seats because Congress played up their 'outsourcing' card," the leader said referring to Congress banking heavily during the elections on Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani.
Even BJP poll managers feel the Congress actually helped BJP in North Gujarat -- by fielding Alpesh from Radhonpur and Jignesh from Vadgam -- as what was Congress stronghold in 2012 has now been taken over by the BJP.
The saffron party MPs from Gujarat met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday in the presence of BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as both are also Rajya Sabha members from Gujarat.
The BJP leaders also say that even as Muslims put up a united face in seats like Jamalpur-Khadia and Dariapur in Ahmedabad; in many constituencies Muslims remained divided especially on the soft-Hindutva card played by Congress.
"In at least 19 seats, BJP defeated Congress by a vote margin of around 1500-2000. In these seats Muslim voters and at times even Muslim Independent candidates made crucial differences," the source said.
The saffron party poll strategists, therefore, now say it is time the BJP "sit and get its together with a renewed vigour" as the "outsourcing politics" would actually expose Congress weaknesses.
"It is time we think of new opportunities those come with the new challenges. The outsourcing is a different style of politics. Congress is not realising -- this exposes their weaknesses.....To an extent from organisational point of view Congress organisation has weakened in Gujarat - despite their number of seats increasing," the source said adding this itself would open up new avenues for the BJP.
It is in this context, they say, Prime Minister's appeal to the BJP lawmakers not to be be 'complacent' and there is need to work harder and expand party base makes sense.
As BJP would explore 'new avenues', sources said the focus should shift how the BJP support base can be expanded in sections where the saffron party did not have much significance.
"One such group is Muslim section itself as the soft-Hindutva played by Rahul Gandhi and Congress machinery getting hijacked by non-political stars and paratroopers (Hardik, Alpesh and Jignesh) have frustrated genuine Congress workers including Muslims," the source said.
The BJP poll managers in fact claim in some pockets - Muslims indulged in "tactical voting and helped BJP" indirectly.
In Surat region itself -- BJP's win would not have been possible without Muslim support in at least two segments of Surat East and Limbayat.
Sangitaben Patil won the Limbayat seat bagging 93585 votes as against 61634 by Congress candidate Ravindra Patil in an assembly constituency that has substantial Muslim votes.
Sources said a message had gone in political circle and even amongst Muslims that giving 'prominence' to elements those came from outside was not acceptable to "genuine Congress workers" as well.
"It is this space, the BJP can work on and try to expand the base," the source said. UNI
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