On November 17, the day Madhya Pradesh went to the polls, cellphones of the BJP's local functionaries rang at 5am.
It was Brahma Muhurta, an auspicious time to start the day. The first wakeup call from the party's state unit alerted the functionaries to the busy day ahead. Sunrise was still 90 minutes away, and chances were that some could have hit the snooze button. A voice message was sent on WhatsApp to reinforce the alert. To rule out chances of non-delivery of the message, a third call was made from the party's call centre.
All those who mattered in each district the party president, the booth management coordinator, constituency chiefs, polling agents and booth presidents were thus woken up. By 6am, provisions were made to ensure that party workers across the state were out on the streets to escort voters to booths and carry out other tasks. The operations were meticulous. For more than a year, cadres had undergone training according to a 15-point programme prepared by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
When votes were finally counted on December 3, the BJP got more than 48 per cent votes. The party bagged 50 lakh more votes than in 2018, while the Congress, which was supposed to have benefited from anti-incumbency, could manage only 15 lakh more votes. The BJP's planning had made all the difference.
The election machinery that the party had perfected in Gujarat was replicated across three Hindi heartland states-Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Electoral arithmetic, combined with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's connect with voters, and the support that Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan received from women beneficiaries of his social welfare schemes, trumped the "vote for change" sentiment that had existed in the months leading to the polls.
This story is from the December 17, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 17, 2023 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Indira's Bang
How Indira Gandhi secured the borders, ended food import, before going for the test
Who's Afraid Of A New Nuclear Doctrine?
It has been 50 years since Pokhran I. With its capabilities increasing and global power equations changing, does India need to look at reviewing its nuclear doctrine?
I don't think things will change because of the win
When independent filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light scripted history by winning the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, it was not just a proud moment for the film's team, but also a triumph for the collective aspirations of women across the country.
Sid for kids
As a child, Sidhartha Mallya wished he had someone in his life to tell him what he wants to convey in his latest children's book, Sad Glad
Ready to roll
Following the Pokhran tests, India has operationalised a credible deterrent that the nation should be proud of
Breaking nuclear apartheid
How India protected its ability to move ahead with the nuclear weapons programme despite not signing the NPT
Power point
The Pokhran tests launched India's march towards being a full partner and participant in the global nuclear order
Shock and awe
India’s comprehensive capability in the nuclear domain is the result of its autonomous pursuit of the atomic programme against all odds
Spied on none, stole from none
A senior scientist during the Pokhran test in 1974 and chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission during the tests in 1998, Dr Rajagopala Chidambaram has been a key figure in the Indian nuclear journey.
Leader with a difference
ARVIND KEJRIWAL'S RETURN TO JAIL APPEARS IMMINENT. BUT HIS BLISTERING POLL CAMPAIGN MAY HAVE BRIGHTENED INDIA BLOC’S PROSPECTS