Modi, BJP brass review prep for state elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired two separate meetings to discuss the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) election preparations, areas of concern, and probable candidates for the upcoming state elections in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran

According to a party functionary aware of the details, the meeting, which was attended by senior ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, party president JP Nadda, and members of the BJP’s Central Election Committee (CEC), the final decision-making body on poll-related issues, discussed issues that the party can make the central theme of its campaigns, and how it can work to strengthen its position in constituencies which are the strongholds of the Opposition. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh were also present at the meetings.

Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are among five states — the other three are Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram — that will go to the polls later this year.