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BJP National Council Meeting Begins Today: Here's Why It's Important

Ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP, in its two-day meet will look to highlight the 'successes' of the Narendra Modi government and strategise for the future.
Hindustan Times via Getty Images

BJP’s two-day National Council meet will begin in New Delhi on Friday at the Ramlila Maidan and is being touted as the biggest such meet, with over 12,000 party workers gathering in the city.

The meeting, which will be inaugurated by party president Amit Shah, will also see Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance.

What is the significance of this meeting?

The BJP recently suffered defeats in the assembly elections held in three key Hindi heartland states—Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh —and in a few months, the general election will decide whether the Modi government will get a second term at the centre or not.

With a Congress victory in the three states and talks of a Mahagathbandhan of Opposition parties, the BJP, PTI reports, will likely look to highlight the government’s “successes” on various fronts ranging from economy to social justice and also dwell at length on the prevailing political scenario.

Shah has, however, maintained that BJP will improve its tally from the 282 Lok Sabha seats that it won in 2014.

What the party is likely to discuss:

The Modi government’s “social justice” plank with its outreach to Dalits, backward classes and general category is likely to be a key theme at the BJP’s two-day national council meeting, reported PTI.

— Party sources said the Modi government’s measures like granting constitutional status to the OBC Commission and strengthening the law on atrocities against Dalits and tribals, are likely to be highlighted and projected as part of its “social justice” project.

— PM Modi will deliver the concluding address on Saturday, laying down the agenda for the general elections.

— Sources said the council may pass three resolutions, highlighting the government’s “successes” on various fronts ranging from economy to social justice and also dwell at length on the prevailing political scenario.

— Some delegates said that the party may refer to demands by Hindutva organisations, including its ideological parent RSS, for a law to construct a temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

IANS reported that the party was also likely to highlight the passage of the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill that will provide a 10% quota to the ‘economically weak’ sections among dominant castes. PTI reported that a section of the party believes that anger among upper castes played a role in its loss in the recent state polls.

— The IANS report says the party will also discuss strategies for states like West Bengal and Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

—The PTI report said that the BJP is also likely to criticise the Congress over issues such as the Rafale deal, and refer to the Supreme Court’s order that rejected demands for a probe into the matter.

(With inputs from PTI)

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.