Modi, other BJP top brass discuss poll strategy at key meet

With less than a year left for the general elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party top brass on Tuesday deliberated upon its strategy in run up to the polls during which it intends to highlight the "failures" of the government as well as the scams that afflicted the United Progressive Alliance's nine-year tenure in power.

The government's tenure came in for close scrutiny at the BJP's parliamentary board meeting, which was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for the first time since being made a member of the highest decision-making body on March 31.

As part of its strategy in run up to the next Lok Sabha polls, it was decided that week-long agitation programmes will be undertaken across the country from next Monday to highlight the "failures" of the UPA government which completes nine years on Wednesday.

Modi, who is being projected by some in the BJP as its prime ministerial candidate, pushed for greater use of social media to reach out more effectively to the people, especially the youth. "We discussed the nine years of UPA rule. This government has failed on all fronts be it price rise, internal and external security or the economic situation. The BJP will launch a jail bharo (court arrest) programme from May 27 to June 2," the board's secretary Ananth Kumar told reporters.

The top brass also discussed the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Jharkhand to be held later this year. This was the first meeting of the board after Singh allocated responsibilities to the BJP office-bearers on May 19.

The parliamentary board also discussed issues related to the upcoming meetings of BJP national office-bearers and executive to be held in Goa from June 7 to 9, Kumar said. The party is likely to pass two resolutions in the national executive meeting.

The political resolution would discuss the political situation prevailing in the country and the threat to safety and security. An economic resolution on the issue of price rise and other issues will also be moved.

At the meeting chaired by BJP President Rajnath Singh and attended by L K Advani and other leaders, Modi said the "failures" of the UPA rule in the last nine years should be discussed and people should be informed about them.

As part of this strategy, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley will address a press conference to talk about "failures" of the UPA government on Wednesday, the ninth anniversary of the Congress-led coalition in power.

The party is likely to come out with a counter-report card against the UPA-II government to highlight the shortcomings of the Manmohan Singh dispensation. The emphasis will be on the scams and scandals which have plagued this dispensation.

"One cannot call these nine years of the UPA rule as one of governance. We can only call it misrule. The people of the country are fed up and want to throw out this government at the earliest," Kumar said.

"Modi suggested in the meeting that the spread and reach of social media and social network should be used to reach out to the people, especially the youth," Kumar said.

The visit of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was also discussed by the BJP Parliamentary Board. The main Opposition had expressed concern over Chinese incursions in the Ladakh region and asked the government to take appropriate measures.