BJP’S National Convention 2024: Mission “Repeat Modi”

While the Congress party is grappling with internal challenges to prevent fragmentation, finding it difficult to stitch an alliance together, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) actively formulated a strategy to bring back Narendra Modi during their recently held National Convention  (February 17-18) at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital. The key message from the Prime Minister to booth-level workers was that the  party must secure a minimum of 370 additional votes at every polling station compared to the 2019 elections, aiming to achieve the target of 370+ seats.

Ahead of the General Elections 2024, the BJP marshalled over 11,000 party workers for  the  two-day mega event. The attendees included all office-bearers, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers from BJP-governed States, State Ministers, national and State party officials, as well as MPs and MLAs. Aiming to return to power with an absolute majority for the third consecutive time, the BJP held this conclave to set the tone and chalk out the strategy for Lok Sabha Polls 2024, which are less than two months away.

The BJP convened its National Council Meeting at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan in 2019, but this time, it opted for Bharat Mandapam. When asked about the choice, a BJP spokesperson explained that the party selected Bharat Mandapam for its National Convention to symbolise the dawn of a new emerging Bharat. The significance lies in the fact that it is the same location (Pragati Maidan) where, under the banner of ‘Pragati,’ progress never truly materialised under UPA regime. During the convention, PM Modi said, “BJP workers should see the 370-seat target not just a number but as their tribute to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who campaigned for the removal of Article 370.”

He asked all the workers to be proactive for the next 100 days, during which they should reach out to the beneficiaries of Union Government schemes. Apart from beneficiaries, the BJP would target first-time voters and women. The BJP coined a new acronym to show its focus: GYAN, which stands for Gareeb, Yuva, Annadata, Nari Shakti.

As far as BJP’s plan to emerge a winner in the upcoming elections is concerned, the party is banking on “Modi ki Gurantee” and his rising acceptance across party lines. The core to this acceptance remains Modi’s communication style, his incorruptibly and delivery  on promises.

A senior party leader told Organiser, “While Rahul Gandhi’s second leg of  ‘Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra’ has failed to garner significant attention from general public and, even facing defections within alliance members, under PM Modi’s leadership, the BJP remains unified and enjoys unprecedented acceptance.”

Agenda for Viksit Bharat

PM Modi, in all his recent speeches, has repeatedly emphasised that the next five years are going to be crucial for the country. The intertion is to lay stress on the BJP’s return to power in strong numbers.

“We have to reach out to every section of society during the campaign; we have to earn the trust of everyone. We have got rid the country of mega scams and terror attacks; we made efforts to improve the living standards of the poor and middle class,” PM said in his address at  National Convention.

“The next five years are going to be crucial. We have to take a big leap towards ‘Viksit Bharat’. I am not seeking a third term to enjoy power, but to work for the nation. If I had thought of my home, it would not have been possible to build homes for crores of people,” he said.

The PM asserted, “Ten years of unblemished governance and pulling 25 crore people out of poverty were no ordinary feats. A senior leader once told me I had done enough as a PM and CM, I should rest. But I am working for ‘rashtraniti’, not ‘rajneeti.’

Modi ji emphasised that he is seeking power not for satta bhog (enjoying power) but for the country’s benefit. He also slammed the Opposition, especially the Congress, saying they make all kinds of  false promises but lack a road map for  developing the country.

Goal for Ram Rajya

Expressing confidence in his return to power, he asserted that only the BJP has the capability to achieve this. He mentioned receiving invitations from several foreign countries for engagements in July, August, and September, implying that these countries also believe that aayega toh Modi hi (Modi’s re-election is inevitable).

He asked BJP members to connect with all sections of society, including those who have not been inclined to the party, saying they have to earn the trust of everyone. “We have to connect with everyone, not for forming government but to build the country,” he said.

The construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has been a fundamental commitment that the BJP, formerly the Jan Sangh, made to its constituents. After Ram Lalla’s Pran Pratishtha on January 22, it is anticipated that Ram Mandir will be the focal point of the BJP’s upcoming electoral campaign. During the two-day convention, the party passed three political resolutions including one on the Ram Mandir–marking a nearly four-decade journey since the party passed a resolution on temple construction in its national executive in Palampur in 1989.

PM Modi, along with other senior leaders like Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and JP Nadda, while addressing the BJP workers, put great emphasis on the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. “We showed courage to solve the work that was pending for decades. By building Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, we ended the wait of five centuries…” PM said.

In a symbolic affirmation of the cultural and constitutional significance of the Ram Mandir, the BJP’s National Council convened to laud the Pran Pratishtha, heralding it as the dawn of ‘Ram Rajya’ in India for the next 1000 years. The resolution, spearheaded by BJP President JP Nadda, underscored Bhagwan Ram’s purported role as the inspiration behind the fundamental rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution. It cited the depiction of Bhagwan Ram, Mata Sita, and Lakshman in the original copy of the Constitution’s section on fundamental rights as a testament to Bhagwan Ram’s inspirational legacy.

The resolution depicted the Mandir as a beacon of “national consciousness,” pivotal in realising the aspirations outlined for a ‘Viksit Bharat’ or developed India.

The resolution effusively praised PM Modi’s leadership for orchestrating the successful consecration of Bhagwan Ram, hailing it as a momentous milestone in India’s cultural and spiritual journey.

Moreover, the resolution invoked Mahatma Gandhi’s endorsement of the concept of ‘Ram Rajya,’ viewing it as synonymous with the true democracy. It credited PM Modi with actualising the spirit of ‘Ram Rajya’ through effective governance and leadership, resonating with the values of inclusivity and development encapsulated in the slogans Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas  (With everyone, development for all) and Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas (With everyone’s trust, and efforts).

Projecting Modi’s leadership Model

The focus of the national convention remained on PM Modi, who dominated its proceedings and the speeches made by the party leaders besides the cut-outs put up across the venue. Cutouts featuring the PM adorned the venue, reinforcing the message to BJP workers that the PM’s leadership, the party’s symbol and key pointers of delivery on the ground should all matter to them regardless of the individual candidates.

The PM’s popularity as a political strongman, alongside the BJP’s Hindu nationalist agenda, continues to appeal to the majority of the country. In 2014, the BJP secured victory in 190 out of the 225 seats within the ten states constituting the Northern belt: Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan, achieving an impressive 85 per cent success rate. Similarly, in 2019, the BJP won 177 seats out of the same 225, maintaining a commendable 79 per cent strike rate.

A senior BJP leader told Organiser, “Over the past decade, PM Modi’s popularity has not only surged locally but also globally, transcending regional and religious divides. His popularity has made its way to the hearts of people beyond party’s core vote bank and this acceptance will get us to the magical figure of 370+. This is why the party is entering the upcoming elections with his face at the forefront.”

BJP’s dominant victories in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh have reaffirmed PM Modi’s popularity. Prior to that, Gujarat, Modi’s home turf gave the record-breaking majority in the last Assembly Polls and BJP won 156 out of 182 seats. The growing presence of BJP in North Eastern States cannot be ignored. The party has done remarkably well in the previous Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha Polls.

PM Modi himself underlined in his address to the conclave on the opening day that the lotus symbol will be their candidate in all the seats throughout the country. “Party’s candidate in each seat would be “kamal ka phool” (the lotus flower – the party’s symbol) and not any individual face.”

South Push

BJP aims to secure a third consecutive term in office to accomplish pending goals. The party is diligently addressing every constituency, making determined efforts to secure additional seats in the southern region. While the party is confident of performing well in Northern belt, BJP is looking for the ‘South Push’ to reach the 370+ seat target. The BJP could win only 29 of the 129 Lok Sabha seats in the five southern states in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Twenty-five of these seats came from Karnataka, but zero in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. But in Kerala, the saffron party managed to increase its vote share.

Sources close to the party are indicating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may contest from a constituency in Tamil Nadu apart from Varanasi. According to sources, Modi Ji might contest from a seat which shares a border with Kerala. It is estimated that this move will influence the elections in Kerala as well. In the 2014 elections, Modi had contested from both Varanasi and Vadodara. A senior party leader told Organiser, “While this decision will be taken by the party but I wish he fights from one of the seats from Tamil Nadu too. This will give an another level boost to the karyakartas. It will be a game changer in Tamil Nadu politics. If he chooses to fight from Tamil Nadu also, the number of winning seats will increase.”

The BJP’s scenario in Tamil Nadu has changed, as this time the party will contest independently following the dissolution of its alliance with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). The party places significant expectations on its State chief, Annamalai, who has been drawing large crowds during his En Mann En Makkal Pada Yatra. Annamalai’s popularity was evident at the national convention too, where many BJP workers sought to capture a moment with him. The combination of Anna’s dedication and Modi’s popularity has infused hope into the party.

In addition to this, PM Modi has made multiple visits to the State in recent times. From celebrating iconic Tamil poets like Subramaniya Bharathiyar on various occasions to roping in music maestro Ilaiyaraaja for the inauguration of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi to setting up a chair in the name of Bharathiyar at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to declaring the great poet’s birth anniversary to be celebrated as ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Divas’ every year, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to make inroads into Tamil Nadu, where it is facing stiff resistance.

In Kerala, too, the BJP has been aggressively taking on both the Left and Congress. During his two-day visit to the Southern State, Modi held a massive roadshow in the port city of Kochi and offered prayers in two prominent temples in Thrissur parliamentary constituency where the party has been trying to make electoral inroads.

In another Southern State of  Telangana, BJP is enforcing several organisational measures to improve its chances of securing at least 10 Lok Sabha seats in the State and increasing its vote share. BJP had got 19.45 per cent votes in 2019 general elections and won 4 out of the 17 Lok Sabha seats in the State. The party’s vote share more than doubled from 6.10 per cent in 2018 to 14.02 per cent in the assembly elections held in November 2023.

A Telangana-based senior party leader disclosed to the Organiser at the convention, “We will perform better this time in Telangana and are expecting to win 7-8 seats without forming any alliance. We are also putting all our efforts to win seat in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. We know that the vote share will increase in both the States this time but we want to convert the votes into seats”. He claimed that the rallies by top leaders such as Narendra Modi and Amit Shah during the poll campaign will have a strong impact.

“Over the past two to three years, the BJP has diligently endeavoured to expand its base in the State, with the implementation of central schemes playing a pivotal role in strengthening the party’s presence. Tamil Nadu has emerged as a significant beneficiary of the Mudra Scheme. Optimistically, we anticipate securing 5-7 seats in the upcoming elections,” said a senior Tamil Nadu BJP leader.

Another BJP leader from Kerala said, “In Kerala also, the PM has tremendous goodwill and approval ratings similar to what it is across India and globally. The party in the State is working hard with a lot of support from the central leadership to translate that goodwill and support into votes. We are sure that we would strongly contest in double-digit seats. We have never won a Lok Sabha constituency in the State, but this time we will win multiple seats, and the party will only grow from strength to strength from now on.’

Since Narendra Modi was anointed as the Prime Ministerial candidate in 2013, each National Convention of BJP, especially the one before the elections set the agenda for elections. From Ab Ki Baar Modi Sarkar to Repeat Modi Sarkar with 370+ is the agenda for Lok Sabha Elections 2024. That is the clear message from grand National Convention organised at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.