BJP conclave kicks off amidst fanfare with 3-point agenda, plan for 'Tiranga' movement

Hyderabad: The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) National Executive Meeting kicked off amidst fanfare here on 1 July with a three-point political agenda – a big win for Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government for the third time at the Centre in the 2024 general elections; retaining power in BJP-ruled states; and a win in Telangana in the 2023 Assembly polls and strengthening the party and striving for victory in other non-BJP ruled states.

BJP also decided to launch "Har Ghar Tiranga" (a national flag in every house) programme across the country to unite the people and the country. It has also decided to focus on building the party from the booth-level in all states since they are the "foundation of the party."

Besides deliberating on a host of national and international issues, including cross-border terrorism, recent terror attacks, and the Ukraine war among others, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will spell out the party's agenda to leaders and cadre, highlighting the achievements of the Modi government in the last eight years, implementing BJP programmes and policies, taking up public issues, and winning the confidence of all sections of people.

BJP is in power in 18 states out of 31.

It has been learnt that the National Executive Meeting (NEM) will discuss political, social, economic, and other issues; pass resolutions, including one hailing the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi; hail the achievements of the NDA government in the last eight years; and lay out a special action plan for Telangana. The Prime Minister arrived on Saturday afternoon from New Delhi at the Begumpet airport and was received by Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, animal husbandry minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, and state BJP president Bandi Sanjay at the airport.

Immediately on his arrival amidst tight security, the Prime Minister took to Twitter and quipped, "Landed in the dynamic city of Hyderabad to take part in the @BJP4India National Executive Meeting. During this meeting, we will discuss a wide range of issues at further strengthening the party."

For the third time in a row, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao skipped receiving the Prime Minister and instead went to receive Opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha at Begumpet airport along with his son and IT minister K.T Rama Rao and others. KCR sent minister T. Srinivas Yadav as minister in waiting to receive the PM. "There is no need for CM to receive PM as per protocol. Any Cabinet minister can receive him," Mr. Yadav said after receiving the PM. From Begumpet airport, the Prime Minister heli-hopped to the sprawling Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC) Novotel near Hitech City in Hyderabad where the BJP meeting is being held.

Earlier, Union Home minister Amit Shah, BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union ministers, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, and other national and state BJP leaders reached the venue. Revealing details of Saturday's meeting, former Rajasthan Chief Minister and BJP national vice-president Vasundhara Raje said the party discussed the recent elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur apart from other elections and by-elections where BJP had performed extremely well.

"During the discussion, the current economic situation in the country and the world, which has seen ups and downs, also came up. While the world's average economic growth is 6 per cent, India's growth rate registered at 8.7 per cent. It's a big achievement of our government. Among many other points, it was also discussed to go to people, mix with them at the booth level, and strengthen the party from the grassroots," she said. She added, "Booth-level workers are important and they are the pillars of the party. We need to strengthen the party from booth and grassroots level."

She said in the coming meetings, they will move political and economic resolutions and resolutions on Garib Kalyan and there will be discussions on all these resolutions. "We discussed the party issues and how to strengthen the party further. Among many suggestions, it was proposed to have at least 200 active booth-level workers, create WhatsApp groups to send messages down to the lowest level of cadres, and spread Mann ki Baat and Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav among others. Send the message to across 20 crore people, to begin with," she explained.

Hyderabad has come under heavy security blanket in view of the BJP conclave; Prime Minister camping for two days along with Union ministers, Chief Ministers of all BJP-ruled states, and BJP national and state leaders; visit by BJP Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha and his supporters; and rallies by BJP and TRS. Traffic was restricted at several points due to this.

BJP's 'Look South' agenda

For the "Look South" agenda, BJP leadership feels the situation is ripe in Telangana and other southern states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry for the party to strengthen its base and strive for a win in the ensuing elections. In fact, BJP is targeting Telangana which is going to the polls next year and wants it to be a "gateway" to victory in non-BJP ruled states in the south.

BJP has already started an aggressive posture forcing Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and TRS party to retort at every point besides trying to break the BJP morale on the eve of the national meeting by luring some of its party leaders, including corporators to its side. But BJP state president Bandi Sanjay is unfazed. "We are not worried about this "Chillara" (cheap) behaviour of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. It doesn't make any difference. KCR's days are numbered and BJP is going to win the next elections in Telangana," he asserts.

For the first time, not only a war of words but also a war of posters erupted in Hyderabad following the BJP's national executive meeting. A war of words and for the first time, a poster war has already erupted in Hyderabad and other parts of the state between ruling TRS and BJP leaders, both taking digs at each other.

Twitter, too, was not spared. Wrote minister for municipal administration and IT K.T Rama Rao, "Welcome the WhatsApp University for its executive council meeting to the beautiful city of Hyderabad. To all the Jhumla Jeevis: Don't forget to enjoy our Dum Biryani & Irani Chai. #Telangana The Powerhouse….Please visit, take notes & try to implement in your states."

Countering BJP leaders' claim that Telangana statehood was achieved thanks to BJP, Palle Rajeshwar Reddy, TRS MLC and TRS party state general secretary, quipped, "Telangana was achieved because of TRS party with the support of 34 national parties not only BJP. BJP is one of them. People of Telangana support TRS and they are supporting for the last 14 + 8 years." Asked about the intense poster war, he said, "They started it, we are responding to it."

To the question of why the Chief Minister skipped receiving Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he asserted that the PM was in the city for a party function. "It's a private party function and we follow protocol accordingly," he added.

Noted actress and BJP national executive committee member Khushbu, who offered prayers at Bhagyalaxmi Temple adjacent to Charminar in the Old City of Hyderabad remarked, "We have all come for the 2-day BJP national executive meeting. I am in charge of the Charminar region. I interacted with party leaders and workers in the area. I, like many others, took the blessings of Matha (Goddess) and I am no different."

Khushbu said BJP will win the 2023 elections in Telangana and end dynasty rule. "We won 47 seats in the GHMC elections. We have been constantly performing well in the state. Enough of dynastic rule. KTR knows what Prime Minister has done for the country and the state in the last eight years. They (TRS) are criticising us for no reason. They are not in frustration but in denial mode. In fact, KCR and KTR are scared (of BJP)," she said.