The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to kick off a pivotal two-day executive meeting in Guwahati on Friday. The core agenda is to meticulously chart the election strategy for the upcoming 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly polls, which are anticipated to be held in March-April of next year.
Top Brass to Steer Strategic Discussions
State BJP president Dilip Saikia confirmed the high-profile gathering on Thursday. The meeting will be steered by the party's national working president Nitin Nabin, national general secretary (Organisation) BL Santosh, and the newly appointed election in-charge for Assam, who is also a national vice-president, Baijayant Panda. A significant contingent of around 900 BJP leaders from various levels across the state will participate in this crucial huddle.
"Every aspect will be minutely examined during the meeting for chalking out the strategies for elections. They will guide us," Saikia stated. He emphasized the party's relentless approach, noting that the BJP takes every election with utmost seriousness and does not rest on its laurels. He revealed that groundwork for the next polls began immediately after the conclusion of the 2021 assembly elections, with continuous efforts at the grassroots level.
Amit Shah's Visit and Ambitious Electoral Targets
In a significant development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to visit Assam either by the end of December or in the first half of January. His visit is aimed at giving final shape to the party's poll strategies. The BJP is setting an ambitious target for itself, aiming to secure over 100 seats in the 126-member assembly this time around.
The party leadership believes that the delimitation of assembly seats carried out in 2022-23 will work to its advantage and help in consolidating its position to win more constituencies. Furthermore, the broader National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is not just focusing on seat numbers but also on increasing its overall vote share compared to previous elections.
NDA Aims for a Dominant Mandate
Echoing this sentiment, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma last week stated that the NDA alliance is aiming to secure a commanding over 50% vote share in the upcoming assembly elections. While he confidently reiterated that the NDA will return to power in the state, he refrained from speculating on the exact number of seats the BJP might win on its own.
This strategic meeting marks the formal intensification of the BJP's campaign machinery in Assam, setting the stage for a high-stakes electoral battle in early 2024.
