Opinion The Chief’s Strategy

Shah created a record of sorts in Gujarat, winning practically every assembly election with a record margin. He has a penchant for setting targets that may appear implausible to some, but motivating to many others. This has prompted his colleagues to “think big” and strive hard to achieve the target. Fighting to win has been the mantra of Shah. He is known to take every election very seriously. He relishes taking on tough challenges. Like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he does not rest and also refuses to let others rest.

In UP, prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha election, he had travelled to almost all tehsil places, staying at government rest houses. When cadres see their leader fighting a battle with utmost seriousness and sincerity, they also refrain from shirking responsibilities. He is more than convinced that howsoever important is the role of popular perception in winning elections, there is no alternative to strengthening the party’s booth units. The grand victories of the BJP in UP in 2014 and 2017 are credited to Shah’s emphasis on constituting a 21-member committee at almost every booth. He ensured that these booth committees remain active all through the year.

In fact, the party has made it mandatory that at least six important party programmes are conducted at every booth, and in the process, has ensured a live-wire party organisation at the grass roots. This has also made the election more karyakarta centric and proportionately less dependent on satraps.

Come any election, Amitbhai literally burns the midnight oil. He keeps a tab on every department. Late night meetings to review ground situation and early morning assessments of media coverage are routine during electioneering. Alert to the progressive unfolding of the ground situation, Shah believes in a rally to rally strategy. Every rally has a customised message and points relevant to the place where the rally is held. What is also remarkable is his understanding of the strengths and limitations of media and advertising. He is known for his dexterity in the selection of the right media for the right message.

In UP, he adroitly employed social media, mainly Facebook and WhatsApp, to shape public opinion. Informally organised WhatsApp groups involving more than 17 lakh readers were the bedrock of his opinion-forming strategy. The beauty of his communication strategy was its two-way approach. Through “UP ke mann ki baat” he compiled suggestions from crores of voters. Many issues raised by the BJP in its UP election manifesto — from banning illegal slaughter houses to setting up anti-Romeo squads — emerged from this innovative crowd sourcing.

Shah’s handling of coalition politics has also been remarkable. Not averse to the idea of joining hands with other parties wherever required, he has always ensured that such alliances are not made at the cost of the BJP’s long-term interests. Having won assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, among others, Shah has his eyes set on 2019.

Shah knows not just the hows of electoral successes, but also its whys. For instance, he said the BJP’s UP win is the defeat of the politics of corruption, casteism and nepotism. He neither gets disillusioned by reverses nor is he overwhelmed by success. Which is why, even after bringing a record 18 states under the control of the BJP, his focus on building the party has not shifted.

Shah understands that to make India Congress-mukt, it first has to be BJP-yukt!