The national executive of the BJP, held at Bengaluru from September 12 to 14, 2008, gave a major thrust to policy-related issues like governance, politics and how to deal with the allies of NDA. Of course, the BJP did highlight its core ideology of Hindutva and nationalism.
The growing menace of terrorism, as witnessed in the serial blasts in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and other places, was in focus at the meet. The Gujarat CM shared serious doubts on the issue of terrorism and exposed the centre'sineffectiveness in combating the menace. When the party'scentral leaders were addressing the public meeting in Bengaluru at 6 pm, then came the news of the dastardly bomb blasts in Delhi. The focus of the conclave was how to curb the menace of terrorism, besides poll agenda for the forthcoming elections. But the UPA is hell bent on a soft stand on terror and the Home Minister is more busy in keeping himself fresh and smart than keeping the nation safe and vibrant, said a shocked BJP worker Vishveswaraya.
The party'snational executive also discussed Amarnath land row, Ram Sethu, nuclear deal and price rise. Keeping an eye on the forthcoming assembly elections and Lok Sabha election, the BJP chief Shri Rajnath Singh asked the party to keep the election machinery well oiled and prepared a detailed roadmap for the party to ensure the prime ministerial chair for the party's leader Shri LK Advani. Shri Rajnath Singh'sinnovative concept of formation of booth committees at local level was monitored in the executive, for party'sreach and access to every nook and corner.
Shri LK Advani, the backbone and star campaigner of the party, gave a loud and clear message to the cadres, stand united under a single umbrella, to yield space to the allies of the NDA and to follow the coalition dharma. The party chief Shri Rajnath Singh called on his colleagues to carry out the task of convincing the people to choose the BJP and make them aware about the failures of the UPA government.
It was a joyous moment for the party to celebrate its southern debut in Bengaluru. After working for long years, the fruit is ripening now. The executive was held in a hall named after Shri Jagannath Rao, who had sowed the seed of nationalism among the people of Karnataka. All party men showered praises on the new BJP CM of Karnataka for fulfilling the 100-day development agenda for the common man. The garden city had a saffron look with the hoardings and cut-outs of Shri LK Advani and Shri Rajnath Singh starting from the new Bengaluru Airport itself to the 35-km stretch to the city. The BJP leaders from across the nation felt the warmth of Kannad culture and felt the cool and fresh air, which is managed and maintained by the innovative CM in the state. Not only Shri Narendra Modi but to BJP'spride, Shri Yeddyurappa is another feather to the party'scap. Already Smt Vasundhara Raje has proved herself as a successful woman Chief Minister in Hindi heartland Rajasthan and Dr Raman Singh in the interior tribal areas of Chhattisgarh, said an executive member of the party in Bengaluru.
Among the regular activities, the executive passed a political and an economic resolution and made a detail plan for the election management committee. The party instructed the state units to fulfill the tasks of formation of state election committees, state election management committees, publicity committees, resource mobilisation committees, media management committees, tours and travel committees, legal committees for election-related work and data collection committees for the forthcoming assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The party has decided to set up an election control room in every state capital and regional centres, nominate senior party functionary who is not contesting elections as a prabhari for each Lok Sabha and assembly seat, identify state-level issues to form part of the national campaign, complete the formation of the booth-level committees and then hold sammelans at Lok Sabha and assembly constituency levels and identify suitable women candidates as the party wants to give adequate representation to the women. Among other tasks for the forthcoming elections, the party has decided to felicitate the first-time voters by the Yuva Morcha and Mahila Morcha. The party has decided to keep good contacts with the non-political nationalist organisations and to highlight the issues concerning the common man and national security like corruption, price rise, agricultural crisis, farmers? suicide, threat to food security, growing terrorism, soft attitude of the Union Government and divisive politics. The party gave thrust on projecting its leader Shri Advani and its symbol, lotus. The BJP said Shri Advani is the ray of hope for the country, who can assure the safety and security for the countrymen, unity and integrity of the country, providing a golden future and prosperity for India.
