BJP national leaders prepare blueprint for state assembly polls

With about a week remaining for announcement of poll schedule for Nagaland, if election is to take place, the BJP has started the process of reviewing the party’s preparation for the upcoming assembly elections in states going to the polls this year including Nagaland.
Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya will be the first to have the Assembly polls, most likely in February-March. The terms of their respective legislative Assemblies are ending on different dates in March. Central BJP leaders have held talks with the core group leaders from Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland to discuss the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
In Nagaland, BJP national secretary and co-incharge of North East Rituraj Sinha, national spokesperson and BJP in charge of Nagaland Nalin Kohli and other senior leaders from the party held a meeting with all district presidents, mandal presidents, mandal in-charges and mandal vistaraks at the BJP state office in Kohima on January 3.
The meeting was also attended by State BJP president and minister Temjen Imna Along, deputy CM Y. Patton and Rajya Sabha MP S. Phangnon Konyak.
Sinha also called on chief minister Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday at his residence. Taking to Twitter, Sinha said he had met chief minister Neiphiu and had a “detailed discussion on various political issues.”
The Assembly polls this year are being considered as semi-finals to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Key states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana would go for polls this year, besides states from the North East. The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir may also have elections this year after the Centre takes a decision.
Meanwhile, BJP chief J.P. Nadda will chair a meeting of the party’s general secretaries on January 10 to discuss various issues. The party is holding a series of meetings with agendas linked to the Assembly elections in nine states and the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
As per reports, a detailed strategy will be laid down and the party has decided to increase the visits of senior leaders and Union ministers in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. The central leaders will spend time in these states to increase the Northeast connection of the Modi government.