The change in BJP strategy is a direct fallout of its losses in last year's assembly elections in Delhi and Bihar.
In a first, the BJP today announced its chief ministerial candidate for the coming assembly elections in Assam: its state unit chief Sarbananda Sonowal, who currently is the sports minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's council.
The party seems to have learnt tough political lessons from Delhi and Bihar losses.
The announcement came after a meeting of its top decision making body - the parliamentary board - attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.
Briefing the media after the meet, Union Minister JP Nadda said, "The Parliamentary Board has decided that Assam assembly elections will be contested in the leadership of Sarbananda Sonowal. Discussion was held on five states, but decision was taken for Assam. We will form the government in Assam."
The change in BJP strategy is a direct fallout of its losses in last year's assembly elections in Delhi and Bihar.
In Delhi, the BJP dithered initially and finally fielded newly inducted Kiran Bedi as its chief ministerial candidate instead of old party hand Dr Harshavardhan.
In Bihar, the party had projected no one as the chief ministerial candidate. Instead, it went with PM Modi as its face - which was used by the rival Grand Alliance to turn the election into a Bihari versus Bahari (outsider) battle.
Thanking PM Modi and Amit Shah, Mr Sonowal indicated that the party was not entirely banking on the Modi wave this time.
The decision to name a chief ministerial candidate was taken after getting feedback from the ground, he said, adding that coalition talks were on with several parties and groups, including the Asom Gana Parishad.
Speaking about poll issues, he said the Congress "misrule" will be the key issue. "Our main issue would be detection of illegal people to protect the cultural identity of Assam," he added.