The BJP is preparing to replicate the strategy in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, likely to be held in October-November.
NEW DELHI: After the success of deploying political heavyweights in the Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections last year, the BJP is preparing to replicate the strategy in the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, likely to be held in October-November.
According to party sources, the BJP high command is seriously considering fielding several senior leaders and former union ministers, including R.K. Singh and Ram Kirpal Yadav, in a bid to bolster its chances in the high-stakes Bihar elections.
“The BJP leadership has analysed social and caste dynamics on a seat-by-seat basis. Based on these factors and winability, the party will field big names to maximise its electoral prospects,” a senior party source said.
The strategy mirrors the BJP’s approach in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where several sitting MPs, including Union ministers, were fielded in the 2023 state elections. In Madhya Pradesh, the party had fielded then Union ministers Faggan Singh Kulaste, Prahlad Singh Patel, and Narendra Singh Tomar. In Rajasthan, MPs such as Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Diya Kumari, and Kirodi Lal Meena were among those given Assembly tickets. The approach paid off with notable victories, prompting the leadership to adopt a similar model in Bihar.
Apart from R.K. Singh and Ram Kirpal Yadav, the BJP is also considering candidates like Sushil Kumar Singh and Mithilesh Tiwari, both of whom had lost in the previous Lok Sabha elections but may be fielded in the Assembly polls to re-energise their political careers.
The party is also looking to nominate influential organisational figures with strong grassroots presence or community support. “Many leaders who have served key roles in the party’s organisational structure and enjoy significant influence in their regions will also be considered,” the source added.
The plan gained momentum during Union home minister Amit Shah’s recent visit to Bihar. During his meetings with BJP state leaders and core committee members, the proposal to field heavyweights was discussed and received unanimous support, sources confirmed.
