Upbeat BJP eyes ‘easier sailing’ at Gomia, Silli

The saffron party might have fallen short of getting full majority on its own at the ‘gateway to South’ Karnataka when the results for Assembly elections came out on Tuesday, there are sufficient takeaways to boost the BJP’s morale in Gomia and Silli bypolls slated in less than two weeks from now.

If top leaders of the party and its strategists are to be believed, the party would go all out now pitching its growing acceptability across the country. “There is a clear sign of high acceptability and trustworthiness of the party, be it southern states or other areas where we have not been in power ever. The trend is continuing for last three-four years. This factor would be played out into the minds of voters during the bypolls at Gomia and Silli,” said senior Minister in the BJP-led Government Saryu Roy.

The party running the Government in a coalition with its old ally AJSU has gone in Gomia alone while backing the junior partner’s candidate Sudesh Mahto at Silli. Nevertheless it is finding itself in head-on collision with coalition partner AJSU at Gomia.

“We are preparing our strategy for both the places and there is no malice in our mind whatsoever against AJSU. The BJP believes in respecting coalition dharma as well as its commitment to the people. Voters of Gomia understand this why we have fielded our candidate there. The party would showcase works done by the Government during last over three years and decisions taken during its tenure which no one dared to take for 14 years since Jharkhand came into existence. Our agenda is development first that is why people all over are supporting the BJP,” said party chief whip Radha Krishna Kishore.

In order to get maximum advantage in its favour, the party is now busy readying a list of campaigners which also includes Chief Minister Raghubar Das and host of other leaders. “We have already deployed some of the MLAs, particularly from surrounding constituencies of Gomia and Silli over there. In later phases of electioneering our leaders like the Chief Minister, Ministers CP Singh, Neelkant Singh Munda and State party president Laxman Gilua would be visiting the constituencies,” said a senior party functionary.

At the party level it has also been decided not to hit partner AJSU directly at Gomia even though the BJP has fielded former MLA and veteran leader Madhav Lal Singh against the latter’s Lambodar Mahto. “We cannot do that. Party strategists feel that it would be detrimental to our interests and also of the Government. Instead, our main target is JMM and the alliance propping up under it even for short term as well as long term politics of the State,” he said explaining the reasoning.