To fine tune strategy, BJP central teams at work in Karnataka

A team of central BJP leaders and functionaries have started the process of fine-tuning the party's micro-management strategy for the Assembly polls by embarking on an multi-pronged input gathering exercise at the grassroots level.

Last weekend, the first batch of leaders including Union minister Smirti Irani and former minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy fanned out to several pockets across the state to assess the political scenario, credibility of probable candidates, their contribution to the party among others.

According to sources, this information is being compiled and presented to the central leadership and directly monitored by party president Amit Shah. Accordingly, remedial measures are being put in place, wherever necessary.

What has made ticket aspirants jittery is that the evaluation focuses on their sincerity in implementing the pre-poll tasks set by Shah. Each functionary in a team has been allotted four Assembly segments to monitor.

Those trying to stonewall Shah's tasks and trying to propagate their own clout are being flagged.

It is no secret that the BJP central leadership has virtually taken over the state unit. The state unit has not much of a say in the party organisation or the selection of candidates.

The central leaders striking down the names of former MP Vijay Sankeshwar and former MLC N Shankarappa, forwarded by state president B S Yeddyurappa in favour of two-time MP Rajeev Chandrashekar for the Rajya Sabha nominations, is a case in point.

At present, Union Ministers Thawar Chand Gehlot, Mahesh Sharma, Pon Radhakrishnan along with several central party functionaries are touring various parts of the state. The teams are assessing the party's poll campaigns, formation of the booth committees, functioning of various morchas, organisational machinery, among others.

More teams soon

The sources said RSS functionaries from across the country are already starting placing themselves Assembly segment-wise across the state.

The results of a SWOT analysis (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Treats) being carried out by the central leadership in New Delhi will be conveyed to the functionaries for remedial measures.

They will be an in-charge overseeing the formation of "page pramukhs", a worker incharge of a particular page in the voters' list at the booth-level and "street pramukhs," a person incharge of a particular street.

The sources said they will also launch a "whispering campaign" to brighten up chances of the BJP candidate. Under the campaign, the activists have been asked to go door- to-door and engage voters in conversation.

The workers should visit each household in their jurisdiction at least five times ahead of the polls. This strategy yield rich dividends for the party in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls, the sources added.