Ram Madhav’s first meeting hints at BJP high command-driven campaign for GBA polls; MLAs upset

The three-member panel led by senior leader Ram Madhav, appointed by the BJP high command to oversee civic polls in Bengaluru, held its first consultative meeting in the city on Saturday and has ruffled feathers of the city’s BJP MLAs. 

In the meeting with the city’s party MLAs and MPs, Mr. Madhav reportedly said each MLA could suggest three candidates in their constituency to get tickets for the councillor polls, upsetting MLAs.

With the number of wards in the city going up to 369 spread over five corporations from 198 in the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), each Assembly constituency now has an average of 12 to 15 wards. Suggestion to limit the MLA’s choice to three candidates indicates how the high command wants to take over the electioneering and campaign. This has not gone down well with the city BJP MLAs, multiple sources said.

Heavy-duty panel

The day Nitin Nabin took charge as the new BJP national president, he appointed a heavy-duty panel led by Ram Madhav and had former Rajasthan State unit president Satish Poonia for GBA polls, raising eyebrows.

While high command-driven micro-managed campaigns for civic polls in Hyderabad and Kerala had paid dividends to the party earlier, the BJP put the onus on the local leadership for local body polls in Maharashtra, including Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the richest and politically the most significant local body in the country.

The fact that the high command appointed a veteran like Ram Madhav for the GBA polls was seen as a “no confidence” in the local leadership, which was evident in the suggestion made by him in the very first meeting, sources said. 

March-end deadline

Meanwhile, Mr. Madhav suggested that polls in each of the five corporations will be held under a “prabhari” (in-charge) from the party, to ensure accountability. He reportedly said that the party must aim to finalise candidate selection by the end of March. Since elections are expected anytime after May 25, this will give the candidates at least two months to prepare on the ground, especially given there has been a five year gap when the elected council was not there, sources said.

BJP State president B.Y. Vijayendra said that there was anti-incumbency against the Congress, which has neglected the city, with “high talk of building tunnel roads, while being unable to fill potholes”. He said the next round of meetings with Mr. Madhav will be held on February 28 and March 1.