BJP enters 2024 with a skip in its step, eye on South, building on its positives

“His second term was marked by the Covid pandemic, China aggression and Russia-Ukraine war, all three factors that slowed down the targeted economic growth,” says a Union Minister, adding that the government hopes to now cash in on the prevalent anti-China sentiment globally.

Modi’s invocation of “virasat (heritage)” is a continuation of this, BJP leaders say, as “India’s cultural history, democratic history, and values and the culture of inclusion” cast it in a favourable light as compared to China, and more in tune with Western sentiments.

Apart from China, the next term is likely to see India take a more aggressive stand against Pakistan, with the revocation of Article 370 now getting the formal seal of approval of the Supreme Court and with the neighbouring country caught up in its own inner turmoil.

With most of the boxes of its key ideological project ticked, Modi is expected to move fast on the remaining ones, including a uniform civil code and the row over the birthplace of Lord Krishna in Mathura.

BJP leaders admit that the party’s biggest challenge would be job creation, if it wants to take advantage of the country’s young demography – even compared to China, India’s average age is 10 years younger. The skilling initiative to ready people for all levels of jobs has not been very successful.

Then there is the BJP’s thwarted ambition to conquer the South. While this year’s Assembly poll loss in Karnataka was another blow, the BJP has already started making amends in the state that gave it 25 of its 28 seats in 2019. One of the big moves was to tie up with the JD(S), to consolidate the Vokkaliga vote, while accepting veteran B S Yeddyurapa’s preeminence in the Karnataka unit to secure Lingayat support.

And, if the Telangana polls were a disappointment, BJP sources say, the party is getting positive feedback from Tamil Nadu and emerging as the most preferred alternative to the ruling DMK. Party leaders claim the 2024 Lok Sabha results in Tamil Nadu would be a surprise, given Modi’s “rising acceptance” in a state whose politics has long drawn sustenance from anti-North India sentiments.

While they are officially no longer allies, the BJP has channels open with the AIADMK, and this could further bolster the BJP kitty.

In Andhra Pradesh too, the BJP is fishing for allies to get the Lok Sabha numbers.

Organisationally, the BJP has already made it clear that large-scale changes are on the cards. In all the three states it won recently, the party went in for surprise names as chief minister candidates – dislodging satraps — and proceeded to fill the caste gaps with the composition of the ministries.

“In order to make the party stronger, Modiji will be bringing in more youngsters and fresh faces to the front,” a leader says.
Sources said one measure the current leadership may take to keep the door revolving is limiting the terms of a party CM or chief to two terms.

Even the Union ministers who have completed two terms could be offered different roles post 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “All the seniors will have to work hard as both the government and the party will be more demanding,” says a leader.