The Modi for All Pitch for 2024

Away from the loud headlines and the controversies building up by the hour, BJP has chalked out a detailed plan to reach out to minorities. This plan is already underway and spans many months right up to the next general elections in 2024. The objective is two-fold. Firstly, to bust the agenda that the BJP cares only for the majority. Secondly, to broad base its vote bank both geographically and socially.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at the BJP headquarters to celebrate with his party colleagues the clean sweep in the North east elections. He specially mentioned how the good performance of the BJP and its allies in Nagaland and Meghalaya was a befitting reply to those who brand the BJP as communal. Both Nagaland and Meghalaya are Christian majority states. He then went onto say how Goa had been won too and that Kerala would be next.

The mention of Kerala evoked mixed response as the party currently has no presence in the legislative assembly or in Parliament from the state. But the state figures high in the BJP's scheme of things. The statement of Mar Joseph Pamplany, Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church was welcomed by the party earlier this week. The Archbishop had hinted that no party is untouchable and if BJP leadership, being in the centre, can resolve the issues of rubber farmers then the party might open its account in 2024.

This statement should not be seen in isolation. Delegations of the Christian clergy have been meeting PM Modi to raise issues of concerns of the community and these meetings have reportedly been very cordial and warm.

Now the BJP has instructed its cadres to visit Christian homes in their localities during the Good Friday-Easter week. At the core of the outreach is the BJP's effort to convince the community that they face the same religio-social challenges from radical Islamic elements as Hindus.

The outreach plan is not just restricted to Christians. Prime Minister Modi's thrust on the social-economic-educational condition of Pasmanda Muslims is also not without reason. The party is meticulously working on the narrative that Pasmandas (loosely translated as backward Muslims) have not gained anything out of the 'appeasement' politics adopted by so called secular parties in all these decades. This is contrasted with the fact that Modi govt has ensured corruption-free and discrimination-free implementation of social welfare schemes, particularly those aimed at alleviating the standard of living for women and girls.

The party has identified 60-odd Lok Sabha seats where the Muslim population is 30 percent or above and hence can swing the results.

It is not like the party leadership is losing confidence in the support of its core vote bank. But it feels that there are many states and social groups where the support for the BJP is at a saturation point. And broad basing of its social support is the next logical step. Plus, there is a realization that in the last nine years, the pilferage-free distribution of govt benefits, the warmth in the attitude of Middle East countries towards Modi govt and the fact that so-called secular parties have failed to defeat Modi are factors which are compelling the Muslim leadership to change its line of thought as well. Therefore, the BJP thinks this is the right time to shed its hesitation and go all out to woo the minorities, especially the poor segments.

A host of programs have been lined up such as Sneh Milan events targeted at Pasmanda Biradaris, Sufi Sammelans to connect with the religious figures and thinkers and the intelligentsia.

The crux of the BJP's argument would be that regardless of their Christian and Muslim identity, all Indians share the same challenges and Modi govt is working to improve the lot of all communities and regions no matter what their political preferences.

(Smita Mishra writes on politics and current affairs)

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