BJP expanding its real estate footprint across India, Congress struggling

BJP's frenetic acquisition of real estate has coincided with its electoral expansion beyond its traditional catchment areas of northern and central India

In July 2014, Amit Shah shared his twin objectives with his lieutenants after taking over as the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). One, the BJP should become the largest party in the world in terms of the number of its members, and two, it should own and build a headquarters for itself equipped with modern amenities in every state capital and offices in each of the country's districts.

Over the last nine years -- under Shah until mid-2019 and subsequently led by his successor, Jagat Prakash Nadda -- the BJP has pursued the two agendas tenaciously. Earlier