The Shah Of Strategy
India Today|October 09, 2017

In his drive to convert the BJP into an election-winning juggernaut, party president Amit Shah is leaving nothing to chance.

Uday Mahurkar
The Shah Of Strategy

At a meeting of the party’s accounts committee in Bhopal, BJP president Amit Shah makes a point. “From now on,” he says, looking around, “the party’s day-to-day expenses will be met through cheque donations.” There’s polite laughter all around. Most of the people in the room think it’s a joke and await a punchline. There is none. Shah, 54, is dead serious. The smiles evaporate. “Stop taking donations in cash,” he says.

Shah is on the move. Since April this year, he has embarked on a vistrit prawas (extended campaign), spending 85 of 115 days outside the national capital crisscrossing the countryside, visiting 22 states, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Gujarat to Assam. In the past 37 months, he has become the BJP’s most travelled president, having taken around 350 trips to states, covering 750 km a day. He takes mostly commercial flights—private jets are a strict no-no except during electioneering when time is of the essence. He skips hotels to stay in state government guest houses or party offices.

The nine months between the Uttar Pradesh elections in March and the Gujarat elections in December 2017 will be the longest break without elections. December onwards, it is going to be a non-stop electoral push for the BJP—protecting their bastion in Gujarat in December, going on the offensive against the last major Congress citadel, Karnataka, next March, and on the defensive in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in December 2018.

Shah is making the most of this nine-month hiatus to whip the party into shape. His nationwide tours are in the manner of a military commander visiting his field formations, not only to instil confidence in partymen, but to assess the ground situation as well. Predictably, his encounters leave a trail of hotly discussed anecdotes in their wake.

This story is from the October 09, 2017 edition of India Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 09, 2017 edition of India Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM INDIA TODAYView All
Check On Sale Of Insurance
India Today

Check On Sale Of Insurance

Complaints about insurance mis-selling come up mostly when a claim is rejected or the policyholder doesn't get what he thinks he bought the policy for

time-read
4 mins  |
April 01, 2024
How To Make Better Financial Decisions
India Today

How To Make Better Financial Decisions

Let logic, not emotion, dictate your wealth choices. Understand your emotions first, then temper them with facts, and you will arrive at better financial decisions

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 01, 2024
WHEN DO YOU GET AN INCOME TAX REFUND?
India Today

WHEN DO YOU GET AN INCOME TAX REFUND?

An assessee becomes entitled to an income tax refund when the tax they have paid exceeds what they are liable to pay in a financial year

time-read
2 mins  |
April 01, 2024
STANDING UP AND TRANSFORMING LIVES
India Today

STANDING UP AND TRANSFORMING LIVES

THE LAUNCH EVENT OF THE MAHINDRA RISE INITIATIVE, ORGANISED BY THE INDIA TODAY GROUP AND MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA, HONOURED WOMEN TRAILBLAZERS WHO ARE LEADING THE CHARGE FOR A BETTER INDIA

time-read
3 mins  |
April 01, 2024
THE SENSE OF ARRIVAL
India Today

THE SENSE OF ARRIVAL

Samantha Ruth Prabhu's journey in the film industry has been about finding success by overcoming fear

time-read
1 min  |
April 01, 2024
IN THE SAFE ZONE
India Today

IN THE SAFE ZONE

AUTOMOTIVE COMPANIES ARE INCREASINGLY FOCUSSED ON BETTER AND MORE ADVANCED SAFETY FEATURES IN THEIR CARS. HEIGHTENED CUSTOMER AWARENESS HAS GIVEN THIS AN ADDED IMPETUS

time-read
4 mins  |
April 01, 2024
TWIN STRIKE
India Today

TWIN STRIKE

WE GET A LEG OVER APRILIA'S MADE-IN-INDIA RS 457 AT THE GRUELLING KARI MOTOR SPEEDWAY

time-read
2 mins  |
April 01, 2024
INDIAN SAFETY RATINGS FOR CARS
India Today

INDIAN SAFETY RATINGS FOR CARS

THE BHARAT NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM RATES THEM FOR BOTH ADULT AND CHILD OCCUPANT PROTECTION

time-read
2 mins  |
April 01, 2024
THE MEDIUM, NOT THE MESSAGE
India Today

THE MEDIUM, NOT THE MESSAGE

We live in an age where there is an economy built on distraction and a complete corruption of attention.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 01, 2024
HAIL TO THE KING - THE HYUNDAI CRETA GETS MAJOR UPDATES, LOOKS SET TO CONTINUE AS SEGMENT LEADER
India Today

HAIL TO THE KING - THE HYUNDAI CRETA GETS MAJOR UPDATES, LOOKS SET TO CONTINUE AS SEGMENT LEADER

Just under four years after the arrival of the second generation Creta, Hyundai has given its bestseller a major overhaul with a significant redesign of the exterior and interior, more features, enhanced safety and a new turbo petrol powertrain.

time-read
2 mins  |
April 01, 2024