AHMEDABAD: With the 2027 Gujarat Assembly elections approaching, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state appears to have sounded the bugle for the BJP's early electoral preparations, setting off fresh political activity within both the government and the party organisation.
From his arrival at Ahmedabad airport at 8.15 pm on November 13 to his departure for Delhi on November 14, Modi packed his schedule with a series of significant political and organisational engagements.
However, it was a late-night meeting with the Gujarat cabinet at Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's residence in Gandhinagar, which continued until 11.10 pm, that emerged as the biggest talking point in political circles.
The meeting, chaired by Modi and followed by dinner with the ministers, triggered speculation about the political message behind the unusual late-night engagement.
According to sources, the Prime Minister used the interaction not merely to review the government's functioning but also to reconnect ministers with the BJP's organisational roots in Gujarat.
In an informal atmosphere, Modi reportedly reminisced about the party's early struggles, recalled his experiences of building the BJP organisation in the state and shared anecdotes involving several veteran leaders who worked alongside him during those formative years.
Sources said Modi also reminded ministers that electoral success cannot be sustained merely through government announcements and administrative achievements.
Instead, he emphasised the importance of maintaining a strong grassroots network, remaining accessible to people and ensuring that the benefits of government schemes reach the intended beneficiaries.
"Ministers must remain connected with the people and understand their problems directly. Public outreach cannot be limited to official programmes or occasional visits. Leaders need to continuously engage with people, listen to their grievances and ensure that the government's work translates into visible benefits on the ground," sources said, describing the Prime Minister's message during the meeting.
With the political landscape changing rapidly, Modi also reportedly stressed the need to adapt to the digital era. "He advised ministers and party leaders to use digital platforms more effectively to communicate government initiatives, counter misinformation and establish direct engagement with voters," sources added.
Meanwhile, Modi's interactions with veteran BJP leaders at Ahmedabad airport before he departed for Delhi also attracted considerable attention.
He met former MP Harin Pathak and former MLAs Pradeep Parmar, Bharat Barot, former Gujarat home minister Gordhan Zafia, and Arvind Patel following his arrival on November 13.
On November 14, the Prime Minister attended a meeting of the Sanskardham Trust at Lokbhavan in Gandhinagar at 10 am.
The discussions focused on the organisation's future initiatives, educational activities and development plans. Established by Modi in memory of his RSS mentor, Vakil Saheb, Sanskardham has remained active in the field of education.
After lunch at Lokbhavan, Modi and Governor Acharya Devvrat travelled to Ahmedabad airport in the same vehicle.
Before boarding his flight to Delhi, the Prime Minister also interacted with several veteran BJP leaders, including Dharmendra Shah, Kirit Solanki, Vallabh Kakadiya, Rakesh Shah, Bhushan Bhatt, Jitu Vaghela, Balram Thawani and Hitesh Barot.
CM's tribal outreach adds to BJP's poll preparations.
Significantly, Modi's visit will be followed by an intensive outreach exercise by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who is scheduled to undertake a 72-hour tour of Gujarat's tribal belt from November 18 to 20.
During the tour, Patel will participate in several programmes in the Garbada Assembly constituency and interact directly with tribal residents to understand their concerns and grievances.
The timing of the visit is politically significant. With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, the BJP is keen to consolidate its support across regions and communities, particularly in tribal areas where opposition parties, including the AAP and Congress, are seeking to expand their influence.
While Modi's late-night cabinet interaction appears to have underlined the importance of governance, organisational discipline and voter connect, Patel's tribal outreach signals that the BJP's election preparations are increasingly moving beyond closed-door discussions to direct public engagement.
The message emerging from Gandhinagar is clear: Although the 2027 elections are still months away, the BJP does not appear inclined to wait until the formal campaign begins to put its political machinery into motion.