BJP holds fort using franchise model

Holding on to terrain can be more challenging than capturing it. This was the case for BJP in the three northeast states across 178 assembly seats that went to the polls on February 16 and 27. And, in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland, the national party has managed to evolve from ‘novelty alternative’ – especially in three-decade Left-rule in Tripura – to reliable choice. This marks an important point in the political contract between BJP and the people of these states.

For the party, it means finding virtue in localising itself, especially for electorates with strong sociocultural roots far removed from perceived ‘north Indian’ values. This was, for instance, reflected in incumbent Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma not striking a pre-election tie-up between his National People’s Party and BJP, its partner in the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance. But BJP, to its credit, adapted to ground conditions, and took up the ‘franchise model’ – shaping itself not according to central party characteristics but to local electoral consumption tastes.

In all this lies BJP’s true talent that goes beyond this latest round of state elections: alliance-building and -maintenance. Especially with opposition parties continuing to show their shortcomings in this department – despite the Congress-CPI(M) alliance in Tripura. But, clearly, the mandate – via the conduit of primary partners in regional parties – is for the central government, Brand Modi sarkar. This is reposing faith, as Meghalaya and Nagaland have also reposed in the Congress past, in a double-engine administration with localised characteristics. For BJP, every election is part of a greater narrative where one cycle starts as one ends. These results yet again confirm that.