Key BJP strategy meeting today

New Delhi: The BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, could try to dispel concerns and counter the Opposition’s criticism over the current state of the country’s economy during the ruling party’s “extended” national executive meeting on Monday. The meeting, which will be attended by more than 2,000 delegates, including the party’s top brass, office-bearers from the national team as well as the core group from state units, all MPs, MLAs and MLCs, will be dedicated to Sangh Parivar ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay. The meeting will mark the end of a year-long drive to commemorate Upadhyay’s 100th birth anniversary.

Ahead of the national meeting, BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday held a meeting with the party’s office-bearers to finalise the agenda for Monday and also to give final shape to the resolution that will be adopted by the party leaders at the meeting. While the Prime Minister could also highlight his government’s pro-poor measures and other policy decisions, including the rollout of GST, in his valedictory address, sources said the Rohingya issue could also find a mention in the resolution, and the party will reitereate the government’s stand on the matter. The government had recently said that the Rohingyas in India are illegal immigrants.

While listing the government’s initiatives, including its key schemes, the resolution could also assert that the economy has been in a better position under the NDA than it was under the Congress-led UPA governments.

At the office-bearers’ meeting, Mr Shah also took stock of the party’s year-long expansion drive. The party also resolved to take forward Mr Modi’s “Swachchh Bharat” mission and make his “New India” slogan a success.

With Assembly elections approaching in key states, including Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka, the BJP leadership could also send out a message to party workers and supporters. The BJP top brass is likely to hold a separate meeting with the core group leaders of the poll-going states.

Atrocities on the Sangh Parivar’s cadre and supporters in Left-ruled Kerala and the “appeasement politics” of the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government may also be taken up at the meeting as the saffron cadre of both states have requested the leadership to highlight the issue at the national level.

At the meeting, BJP vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe shared details of Mr Shah’s nationwide tour of the party state units. Mr Shah held nearly 310 gatherings and 800 press conferences during his “Vistarak” tour and met hundreds of party workers and leaders. Mr Shah covered nearly 50,000 km and interacted with 18,000 workers in all parts of the country in order to strengthen the BJP.