Amit Shah’s prediction: BJP on way to forming govt with over 45 seats

A senior BJP leader said that Shah held meetings on most days at the party’s state office, where the day’s schedule was discussed, the poll pitch for the next day was decided, and leaders were picked to send out specific messages.

“At midnight meetings, in which all MPs and senior leaders were present, Shah would personally guide them on work yet to be done and messages that had to be sent out,” a source said.

Shah held 50 public meetings, including roadshows, in the past two weeks, while BJP national president J P Nadda took 44 meetings, including three in Nand Nagri, Hari Nagar and Madipur on Thursday.

The source said Shah has also held meetings with party workers in areas such as Shalimar Bagh, Rohini, Adarsh Nagar and Timarpur on Sunday, during which he heard the point of view of district- and mandal-level workers and advised them on the way forward.

Shah told them they should not have any doubt in their mind since the party is “winning the polls”, and they should not fall for “propaganda being spread through different forms of advertisement”.

“Some workers complained of groupism among the senior leadership, to which Shah said it hardly matters because the grassroot-level workers ensure votes,” the source said.

Before each meeting, Shah had printouts ready of Facebook posts by each leader over the last 15 days, the source said, adding that each leader was deputed keeping in mind the constituency’s demographic profile and regional population break-up.

“The constituencies were divided into three segments — one where the BJP is certain of winning, one where fence-sitters hold the key, and one where AAP has the edge… The party’s focus has been the second segment, with more leaders being sent here,” the source said.

Party leaders, in their door-to-door and drawing room meetings, were told to make a strong pitch on Shaheen Bagh, the jam caused as a result of it, the “anti-Hindu slogans” raised there, and “AAP’s links” to the protest, it is learnt.

Sources in the party said that over 6,000 cars and 1,000 rooms were booked, even as many workers and volunteers stayed with their relatives in areas where they were supposed to campaign.

“Almost every assembly segment has 50 workers from outside the city. Workers came from across India but mostly from UP, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh,” the leader said.

Key leaders were also asked to visit jhuggis during the night, since slum-dwellers are one of AAP’s “most loyal vote bank”.