In the state that could make or mar the BJP’s prospects in the Lok Sabha polls due in April-May, the party has handed over the reins of its strategy to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), who will be unleashing thousands of volunteers to set off a “positive wave”.

Insiders said while the RSS would be handling the door-to-door campaigning for the party’s candidates in the state, the VHP will be bringing together saints and other religious leaders to create a saffron surge.

Workers and representatives of the three saffron organisations have been holding brainstorming sessions for the past two days in Ayodhya, which would work as a nerve-centre for the BJP’s poll campaign.

“For the past three months, we have been meeting quite regularly with the BJP leaders to work out election plans. Even RSS chief K Sudarshan’s meetings in UP have been quite significant in bringing together the two, with most of the senior party leaders who were earlier with the RSS trying to bridge the gap. New cadres are being created on those lines,” said a senior RSS pracharak.

BJP insiders say since the last two elections, which includes the Lok Sabha and the last Assembly polls in UP, the RSS has been keeping itself away from the BJP. “Call it clash of egos between senior BJP members or their attempts to go independent, the two had not been sitting together for these elections. But orders from the top leadership from both sides have finally brought them together again,” said a BJP leader.

“The three have already decided on the seats where they will make all attempts to ensure victory. We have been able to zero in on 20 seats so far, of which 11 have been finalised and our three-fold plan will start on Monday,” he added.

Elaborating on the three-fold plan, he said all three outfits will handle different kinds of campaign. While the BJP will base its campaign on the slogan “choose your MP to make Advani the PM”, the RSS will be handling the door-to-door campaign with younger pracharaks following seniors. The VHP will be organising ‘Sant Samagams’ in at least 11 districts of the state.

State BJP chief Ramapati Ram Tripathi, “It is nice that all the organisations, which have been an integral part of the BJP, have come together again. We all are aware of the pulse of the masses and coming together will certainly turn things in the favour of BJP candidates in the state.”

IUML to field 10 candidates from UP
FAIZABAD: Following the Azamgarh-based Ulema council’s announcement to field five candidates from eastern Uttar Pradesh, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has decided to field at least 10 candidates across the state in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.