New Delhi: Undoubtedly, it's a historic win for BJP as the people of Assam have voted for change giving the saffron party its first government in the northeastern state by dislodging the Congress.
BJP, on Thursday, wrote a new chapter in party's history by registering an unprecedented victory in Assam Assembly Elections. PM Narendra Modi terming the mandate in Assam as phenomenal, has said that this win is historic by all standards.
So, how did BJP register such a landslide victory in Assam Assembly Elections?
Here are the five strategies adopted by PM Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah to ensure the party's victory in Assam elections:-
1-Selection of Sarbananda Sonowal as CM candidate
It was a well-thought decision to select Sarbananda Sonowal as the party CM candidate in Assam. However, Sarbananda Sonowal was already working with Modi government at the Centre (as Union Minister for Sports & Youth Affairs), still PM Modi and Shah decided to choose him as CM candidate for Assam since Sonowal is well aware of local issues and has a good image in the state.
Resigning from Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Sonowal had joined BJP in the presence of the then BJP National President Nitin Gadkari on 8 February 2011. He has a good image among youth as he has been the president of All Assam Students Union and chairman of North East Students Organisation.
The decision to pick Sonowal as CM candidate proved absolutely right!
2-Alliance with regional parties - AGP, BPF
PM Narendra Modi had kick started the poll campaign in Assam with its new ally Bodoland People's Front (BPF). The BPF has a very strong presence in Kokrajhar and its neighbouring areas.
BPF has been in power in Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) since its inception in 2003.
Hence, with this new poll ally, BJP's prospects of coming to power were enhanced.
Moreover, BJP broadened its alliance by tying up with AGP too. Notably, AGP and BJP had fought the 2009 Parliamentary elections together.
This BJP-AGP-BPF alliance proved beneficial in gaining the people's faith.
3-Focus on local issues and development
PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah asked the party workers to focus on local issues and development.
Infiltration and sealing of India-Bangladesh border were two of the main local issues.
BJP chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday too had said that his government's top priorities are infiltration and sealing India-Bangladesh border.
"Issues like infiltration, sealing of the Indo-Bangla border, problems of small tea growers, unemployment -- are the major challenges. We will work together (with allies) to resolve these issues," Sonowal had said.
4-'Modi wave': Campaigning by PM Narendra Modi
Riding high on 'Modi wave', BJP chief Amit Shah made sure the campaigns by PM Narendra Modi despite his extremely busy schedule at the Centre.
The BJP president also made sure that the PM Modi himself should sound the poll bugle so as to gain maximum benefit.
Noteworthy, 'Modi wave' had helped BJP bagging seven of the state's 14 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 Parliamentary elections.
5-Other initiatives: Tribal status, institute, jobs to NE youths in Delhi Police & a train
PM Modi had announced that the people of Karbi community living in the plains of Assam and Bodos living in hill areas would be granted tribal status; the process has already started. This gave a boost to the party's winning prospects.
The PM had said he had instructed that youths from the Northeast should be recruited in the Delhi Police and the process has already started. With this move, BJP won the hearts of Northeast youths.
Announcing other initiatives, the Prime Minister had said a central technical institute located in Kokrajhar would be given the status of a deemed university.
Also, he announced that the Sealdah-Guwahati Kanchenjunga Express will be extended up to the Barak Valley while the Rupsi Airport in Dhubri will be taken over by the Indian Air Force.
