BJP may have to redraw strategy to counter opposition’s populist plank

Although BJP announces several populist measures in its manifestos for the assembly polls, it shies away from making them universal and free for all, as in the case of Karnataka where it announced free cylinders but only for BPL families during festive season.

A senior BJP leader involved in drafting several manifestos in several assembly polls has observed that voters are tempted by such announcements of freebies to vote for opposition parties, but BJP as the governing party at the Centre and a national player, looks at the larger picture and the feasibility of such populist promises.

Perhaps, it was in 2019, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, when BJP came up with some universal benefits like making PM Kisan Nidhi available for all farmers. And, it came after the Congress pitched for universal basic income. In the state assembly polls, like in Uttar Pradesh, free ration helped the BJP in consolidating its position, which the party leaders assert was required after the Covid pandemic.

With the Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan assembly polls scheduled later this year, the Congress, which is the incumbent in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, has already started several measures such as ‘Mehangai Rahat Camp’.

In the 2018 assembly polls in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, the BJP’s central leadership was not very keen on announcing farm loan waiver which it did in Uttar Pradesh 2017, despite suggestions from both the state units.

Another challenge for the BJP would be the OPS (old pension scheme), in these states. Keeping the gravity of the issue in mind, the Centre has already announced a committee to review the pension system and is also studying the Andhra Pradesh government’s pension model, a BJP leader said.BJP leaders said that as PM Kisan Nidhi came up in 2019, one cannot rule out any other such people-centric measure before 2024, but which would be financially feasible.