Senior leaders in K’taka wary after massive success of ‘Gujarat model’

BENGALURU: Following the stupendous victory in the Gujarat Assembly elections on Thursday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership may well be looking to implement the ‘Gujarat model’ in Karnataka, which will go to polls in a few months. Karnataka is the only southern state where the BJP is in power.

In Gujarat, where the party won over 150 seats, it had fielded scores of newcomers who have won the elections. Senior leaders in Karnataka are apprehensive that their seats may go to newcomers and are working hard to save their constituencies for upcoming elections and, in turn, their political futures.

Narendra Modi and Amit Shah plan to implement the ‘Gujarat Model’ in upcoming Assembly poll in the state

Party sources say that while Union Home Minister Amit Shah will lay out the broad strategy for the upcoming state Assembly elections, the state leadership will project Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah’s wave. The party state unit will also highlight the development works carried out in the state by the double engine government and will also bank on its core Hindutva plank.

The central leadership is also keen that tickets be given to only those with a winning potential, even if they have immigrated from other parties. Senior ministers and MLAs with negative ratings will not be given tickets and may be asked to voluntarily cede space to newcomers.

After the historic win in Gujarat, the party cadre are charged up for the Karnataka Assembly polls which are due next year. State BJP leaders claim that the massive mandate has boosted their morale to work hard for the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.