BJP to hold CEC meeting tomorrow to review preparations for upcoming polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called a meeting of its central election committee (CEC) at the party headquarters on Wednesday evening. The meeting is part of BJP's stepped-up efforts for preparations for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram polls. The party's central leadership will handle the entire election campaign strategy to candidate selection. 

Before the list is made public, the BJP CEC usually meets to decide on the names of candidates for the assembly elections after the election's formal announcement and closer to the deadline for filing nominations. For the first time, the party is convening the CEC meeting early.

The meeting will be attended by all 15 CEC members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda, organisation general secretary BL Santosh and other members. Along with the CEC members, the state president and organisation secretary of election-bound states and election in-charges will also participate in the meeting. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will also attend Wednesday's meeting.

According to sources, the party has compiled a list of seats where it believes it has a weak position. The meeting will include a discussion of candidate selection for such seats. The central leadership will also hear from state leaders about obstacles they are facing, issues that go against the party, and election planning.

Although the names of the candidates will not be disclosed, those who are chosen will be informed of their candidacy to help them begin their election campaign, said a state BJP leader, adding that the party wants to keep a bird's eye view of the entire election process and address issues that need to be resolved on time.

Meanwhile, the saffron party also focuses on campaigns to promote PM Modi's Madhya Pradesh connection. The BJP has launched the campaign 'Modi ke Mann Mein Base MP and MP ke Mann Mein Modi' to gain support for PM Modi in the 2024 Lok Sabha election and upcoming assembly elections.

Madhya Pradesh BJP social media convener Abhishek Sharma said, "The campaign was launched by the Centre and it is receiving good response."

This campaign would also help the party in beating the anti-incumbency during the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, a senior party leader was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times (HT).

"All the big schemes launched by the BJP-led state government, including Ladli Behna, Sambal, free ration, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme and Gareeb Kalyan Scheme, are being promoted with the face of PM Modi," he added.

"Previously, it was decided to launch this campaign for Assembly elections, but it did not have the desired impact on the state leadership. Later, it was decided to launch for the Lok Sabha election," said the BJP leader.

The BJP won 28 seats in 2019, and the party hopes to win all 29 Lok Sabha seats in 2024, he added.