Maharashtra: Devendra Fadnavis comes down heavily on warring BJP leaders

Prime Minister Narendra Modi being felicitated with an idol of Lord Ganesha by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and state Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier last week. Pic/PTI

Sounding a warning that the BJP's situation would be like the Congress if its leaders forgot that they too are party workers, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis outlined the next course of action for the BJP to go full steam to win a majority in the next Assembly and also bag maximum seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

Fadnavis was speaking at the concluding function of the party state unit's two-day executive committee conclave in Nashik on Saturday. The conclave focused primarily on strengthening the organisation and shifting the votes that have eluded it so far, to its side in 2024.

Negating the Opposition's narrative that the government would fall soon, Fadnavis gave the party executives confidence that the NDA's Maharashtra government was here to stay, because "it was a constitutional one and the Supreme Court would definitely deliver a verdict in its favour".

"Our government will not only complete the term, but also come back with a thumping majority. The BJP-Balasahebanchi Sena alliance will win record seats next year," he added. However, he said the mission - Mahavijay Abhiyaan - would succeed only when the party workers act as a bridge between the government and the voters. "You are our setu [bridge], you are our messengers. We will exceed the target of 150 and win 200 seats if you put efforts."

Also read: Democracy was cremated in Lok Sabha: Congress

Fadnavis also appealed to the "aspirants" to sacrifice the uncontrolled ambition. "You may have to wait for the next two years to get what you wish... I'm asking for your cooperation, hard work and time for the party," he urged.

He also asked the workers to not fly high over successive electoral success and shed ego. "We are used to wining, but every loss must be introspected and the mistakes corrected," he added, in reference to the party's defeat in the Amravati MLC polls in which faction feud is said to the main reason for the debacle. "Around 5,000 votes, which actually polled for the BJP, were invalid. Leaders are expected to behave like leaders, but they should not let the (party) worker in them die. Do you know why the Congress failed? It was because of the leaders. The BJP will also become like the Congress if its leaders do not behave like workers and accommodate others."

Target 45 MPs, 150 MLAs

State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule told the delegates that the party was working to win 45 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats and 150 out of 288 seats the next year. He appealed to the leaders to get the Congress's lower level workers to the BJP's side, in order to weaken the century-old party further.

According to sources, the BJP has identified weak areas in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha seats it hasn't won so far or lost in the past. Other aspect that the BJP has been working on is to make the Shiv Sena's core voters understand that the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has compromised Hindutva that was proclaimed by the party founder, the late Balasaheb Thackeray.

Focus on organisation

The two-day conclave worked on the organisational aspect of the party, from the state unit to the booth level, all crucial to its election machinery.

About 700 delegates, including ministers, MLAs, MPs and heads of district units were asked to be more active on social media. Along with pictures of events they attend, the leaders were asked to post the government's decisions taken on that particular day. The delegates were briefed about the Centre and state schemes that directly and indirectly impact the people's lives, and asked to create awareness about them.

A few resolutions were also passed at the conclave.