NEW DELHI: As 2025 begins, the ruling BJP appears poised to confront more challenges than fall back on achievements in its forward electoral journey. Several contentious issues, such as the ‘One Nation One Election’, the Uniform Civil Code and the contentious Waqf Bills await political consensus.
That is a tough ask as the Opposition strategically tosses up BJP’s principal strategist Amit Shah’s recent remarks on BR Ambedkar.
The immediate hurdle for the party is selecting a new party president through organisational polls slated by February — a choice fraught with complexities of caste, creed, and regional considerations. Other key electoral challenges include establishing stronger footholds in poll-bound Bihar and Delhi, and skillfully navigating around the controversial issues mentioned above.
Of course, the real test in early 2025 is the Delhi Assembly election, followed by the Bihar poll. Delhi remains a challenging landscape where the BJP must confront entrenched opposition forces. Bihar demands a nuanced approach to its complex caste equations and opposition alliances.
In 2024, the BJP failed to meet its ambitious ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’ target in the Lok Sabha election, exposing electoral vulnerabilities. However, in 2025, as reliable sources indicate, the party is expected to focus on mitigating weaknesses in states where its hold is relatively weak. It plans a series of outreach programmes.
Despite political setbacks in 2024, the BJP bounced back by securing victories in the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections, reigniting its regional adaptability. Simultaneously, maintaining cohesion within the NDA and addressing discontent among allies is critical when contentious national issues dominate the political discourse. A senior party functionary remarked, “For us in 2025, the ability to unify the coalition, address internal challenges, and resonate with voters will define our priorities. The BJP always strives to work in a coordinated manner to achieve these goals.”
On the alliance front, the BJP has to tread carefully as well. In 2024, it joined hands with the TDP despite a history of strained relations. Despite Nitish Kumar’s unpredictable stance on alliances, it formed a coalition with the JD(U).
The party will also have to contend with frequent assertions of regional parties when they try to strengthen their electoral bases in their states. For instance, the caste census in Bihar, championed by JD(U), and the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, which could raise concerns among TDP, may present challenges for the BJP.