What Do BJP's NEC Resolutions Signal About the Party's Election Strategy?

Party chief JP Nadda in his inaugural speech at the NEC meeting said that the “BJP’s best is yet to come”.

Podcast on Bhartiya Janta Party's National Executive Meeting and Assembly Election Strategies. Image used for representation only.

(Photo: Shruti Mathur/The Quint)

On the heel of a mixed bag of wins and losses in the recently concluded bypolls, the Bharatiya Janta Party held their first national executive meeting since the start of the pandemic on Sunday, 7 November.

Though the meeting was largely devoted to applauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government on a range of actions, primarily COVID-19 and his intervention at the COP26 summit, the upcoming Assembly elections in early 2022 were also discussed.

And this was pertinent from Modi’s reported exhortations at the party meeting, asking the BJP top brass and workers to become the “bridge of faith” for the common man. Party chief JP Nadda in his inaugural speech added to this, stating that the “BJP’s best is yet to come”. They also announced a “resolution for victory” in the upcoming polls.

But a significant takeaway from the meeting was the presence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the only BJP CM to attend the meeting physically. Adding more to his profile was him presenting the party's political resolution mentioned earlier, indicating a rise in importance in the party.

The saffron party also slammed the Opposition on various counts like reduction in VAT on fuel and even went a step further, accusing them of “opportunism” and acting with a mindset of “extreme hate”.

While the party applauded the Centre for its measures regarding farmer welfare and COVID, there was no direct mention of the contentious farm laws, CAA, nor the unclear border disputes with China.

So what does this meeting tell us about the BJP’s election strategies? What is this “resolution for victory"?

To discuss this, joining me today is author and senior journalist Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay and Aditya Menon, The Quint's Political Editor. Tune in!