PM Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders at the party's National Executive meeting in Bengaluru (Press Trust of India photo)
The BJP's two-day national executive meeting began this morning in Bengaluru with party president Amit Shah addressing the gathering of top leaders. He praised the Narendra Modi government at the Centre saying it has provided 10 months of corruption-free governance.
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In his speech, Mr Shah also pointed out that the economy is looking up and enumerated several key initiatives taken by the BJP government since it came to power in May 2014.
At its two-day conclave, the BJP will prep an action plan for several crucial state elections this year and will also discuss a strategy to push key land reforms that are at the centre of the government's economic agenda.
It will use power-point presentations and booklets to attack the opposition Congress, which has stonewalled as "anti-farmer" the government's land bill, which aims to make land purchases easier for industrial corridors, roads, ports, power stations, among other infrastructure projects.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also set the tone in a speech yesterday for establishing a better connect between the government, party workers and voters. He said the BJP must not become a "corridors of power party."
He listed in a 40-minute speech how policies like the Jan Dhan Yojana, Swachh Bharat mission and the 'Beti Bachao Andolan' are all aimed at creating a connect with the people. He said the party must leverage the nine crore members it has enlisted for outreach.
The meeting is expected to be focused around the Prime Minister and on boosting brand Modi as the party gets ready for elections in states like Bihar and West Bengal. The PM is attending all sessions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy and other achievements and the BJP's win in several state elections will be toasted. A resolution on foreign policy has been prioritised for today, the first day of the conclave.
The conclave will be also be used to find ways to retain and expand the 17 crore votes the BJP polled in the May 2014 national elections. A colossal defeat in Delhi early this year has alerted the party to the need to expand its presence in states.
It is felt, sources said, that the party has to break new ground, even as it attempts to limit damage from controversies and objectionable remarks made by senior leaders, the latest being union minister Giriraj Singh's self-goal two days ago when he made a racist jibe against Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
It is unclear whether LK Advani, 87, the BJP's seniormost member and now edged out of decision-making, will make his traditional address. Mr Advani is said to be reluctant to make a speech, indicating that he is upset.
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