BHOPAL: BJP national president Amit Shah completed his two-day visit to Madhya Pradesh on Monday with a series of meetings in Vindhya and Mahakoshal region
Shah addressed meetings of BJP workers at Satna and Rewa districts in Vindhya region, before addressing a gathering of tribal population in Dindori district. His last programme of the two-day tour was in Jabalpur town, which is considered the nucleus of the Mahakoshal region.
Prior to leaving for Vindhya and Mahakoshal regions, Shah along with other senior BJP leaders, met with top functionaries of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for over an hour at Bhopal in the morning.
As per informed sources, the issue of resentment among the upper caste and to some extent OBC population against the amended SC/ST Atrocities Act was discussed prominently.
The RSS functionaries raised the issue with the BJP leaders, cautioning that growing resentment, particularly among the upper caste voters (who along with OBC form the backbone of BJP’s voters base in the state), could hurt the party’s prospects significantly in the November 28 Assembly polls.
Sources confided to The New Indian Express that the BJP leaders were told that the possibility of resentment among upper caste (who are particularly crucial in Vindhya and Gwalior-Chambal region) declining and these sections flocking behind the BJP just before the polls was not very strong, as the resentment was particularly among youngsters.
With options like SAPAKS Party being present to these sections, the possibility of dent in the BJP’s traditional upper caste vote was strong this time.
The RSS functionaries also discussed with the BJP leadership growing anti-incumbency against dozens of sitting MLAs, including ministers of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.
The Sangh functionaries are believed to have asked Shah and state BJP leaders to act on the feedback rendered to them on performance of dozens of sitting party legislators.
The upper caste along with OBC people comprise over 60% of state’s population and had played a key role in BJP winning 165 seats in the 2013 polls.
Sources confided that Shah appealed the RSS functionaries to remove confusion prevailing among people. It was also discussed to raise issues pertaining to national security, including the National Citizenship Register proactively across the state.
With the ruling BJP holding discussions with the RSS top brass of the poll-bound state, the Sangh might soon start playing a major role in building back public support for the saffron party through Toli and Mohalla Baithaks, particularly to stop division of Hindu votes.