As we write the BJP has come out with its almost 401 of the 543 candidates for the coming Lok Sabha and the messaging is slowly coming through. First the number of union ministers who came through the Rajya Sabha route that are now being fielded from the Lok Sabha is an indication that the PM is grooming his second rung of leadership. And he wants this leadership to come up from the grassroots. Which is why the likes of Bhupender Yadav, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Jitin Prasada, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jai Panda, Piyush Goyal and Dharmendra Pradhan have been fielded and encouraged to build a grass-roots connect.
The second, is those who were denied tickets – from VK Singh to Sadhvi Pragya Thakur to Anantkumar Hegde to even Varun Gandhi, some of those who have been denied a ticket are those who have been in the news for making controversial statements. The focus is clear that the prime minister now wants to focus on development in the next term and doesnt want to be sidetracked into headline management.
Then there are the outsiders who have been given tickets. Such as actors Kangana Ranaut and Arun Govil. Both have been enacting the right kind of right wing roles that would appeal to the party’s electorate, which could be one reason for the nomination. In addition, Kangana has been very vocal in her support for the BJP during the various controversies; and so while the nominations may ruffle some feathers within the party, there is also a signalling to the party faithful and the voters that look to celebrities for endorsements for their political beliefs.
The old guard has also been included – this includes Rajnath Singh, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and of course Nitin Gadkari. This will stem some of the criticism that the PM was sidelining the older BJP. Former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan would also make a welcome addition to the cabinet at the center
The BJP has also seen a huge influx of political exports, the latest being Navin Jindal from the Congress who was given a Lok Sabha ticket from Kurukshetra. So while the BJP seems poised to return for the third term under Narendra Modi, his cabinet will have an interesting mix of the old and the new.
Priya Sahgal