BJP turns to tradition to gain prominence

Ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) city wing is using tradition to gain prominence.

With the party holding Diwali Pahats (a singing event) in some area or of the city the other for the last three days, the BJP is trying to make its presence felt amongst Marathi voters. Also, keeping in mind potential north Indian voters, the saffron party organised a Bhojpuri Sangeet this year.

BJP leaders agreed that it is the first time they have organised such events, but claimed they weren’t doing it with an eye on the BMC elections.

The party wants to cater to the Marathi voters, which has been the traditional vote base of its ally the Shiv Sena, and the MNS. “These traditions aren’t the ownership of any individual or party, so we are doing it too. So what if it is for the first time, things have changed; our president is Marathi and he’s organising these events. Even earlier presidents organised various kinds of events,” said Niranjan Shetty, BJP Mumbai’s chief spokesperson.

The BJP wants to contest nearly 100 seats from the 60 they had contested in 2012 in the saffron alliance.