BJP’s strategy for south: Karyakartas, corner meetings and public outreach

Panaji: BJP, having selected a greenhorn in businesswoman Pallavi Dempo as its South Goa candidate, has chalked out a detailed strategy to connect her with her constituents. The party is aware that though the Dempo family name is a household one in Goa, it has a task at hand to introduce Pallavi to her voters.

“We will introduce Pallavi in three phases to the public. We have already started the first phase of holding meetings with karyakartas and they have overwhelmingly accepted her,” chief minister Pramod Sawant told TOI.

Since Pallavi joined the party just before her candidature was announced, it was imperative on the part of BJP to take her to the karyakartas first, lest they should feel ignored.

Once the karyakartas are taken into confidence, the next stage that the party plans is to hold corner meetings—a trademark Parrikar style where he used to interact with a motley crowd of 20-25 people.

And then would come the final push with massive public meetings and rallies centred around Pallavi.

Till April 5, Pallavi will meet karyakartas from all the 20 constituencies and prominent citizens of those constituencies. Every day she will cover two constituencies and on Sunday, three constituencies will be covered. Sawant or Rajya Sabha MP and BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade will accompany her for smooth introduction among karyakartas and MLAs. She will also visit temples, churches, and other religious places to seek blessings.

Sawant said once Pallavi is familiar with karyakartas, corner meetings will commence in each constituency where she will interact with a small group of people.

“We don’t think there is a challenge for BJP to win the South Goa seat as karyakartas are firmly standing by our candidate,” Sawant said.

Once the corner meetings are over, then constituency-wise public meetings would be organised before the voting on May 7.

This is the first time in Goa’s electoral history that BJP has picked a woman candidate for Lok Sabha polls. BJP’s decision to pick a woman candidate over its party cadre came after a nudge from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the failure of the state unit to present a winnable face, who would be able to pull the weight over and above the party’s vote bank.