Maharashtra BJP hopes Shah's social engineering will work in state poll

Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Maharashtra unit burst crackers and distributed sweets after the appointment of Amit Shah as party’s national president.

Apart from the political reasons, they had an extra reason to celebrate. Shah was born in the Bhuleshwar area of this city’s southern part and his wife hails from Kolhapur district.

Beside, state leaders and the rank and file, who had gathered at the BJP’s state and city headquarters, hope Shah will be able to strongly implement a social engineering theory in Maharashtra on the lines of his successful experiment in Uttar Pradesh (winning 73 of 80 seats in the Lok Sabha polls). Assembly polls are due in this state in October.

The ruling Congress-Nationalist Congress coalition recently announced a 16 per cent quota for Marathas and five per cent to Muslims in jobs and education, to counter the perceived Narendra Modi-BJP wave. The BJP won 23 of the 24 seats it contested during the Lok Sabha elections. After which, it is aggressively seeking to contest more seats in the assembly than hitherto from its old poll ally, the Shiv Sena. Else, its seniors have even said, they’re prepared to fight all 288 seats in the state. Which is why party members are excited about Shah’s appointment.

Vinod Tawade, leader of the opposition in the legislative assembly, told Business Standard: “It is certainly a great moment for the state party unit. Amitji is born in Bhuleshwar and is a son-in-law of Maharashtra. With him as national president, the BJP is confident of effectively implementing social engineering in the state. Amitji knows every nook and corner of Maharashtra and its caste and other combinations. His guidance will come handy to dislodge the 15-year-old Congress-NCP government.”

Another BJP leader, who did not want to be named, said Shah is in a position to fill the vacuum created after the death of central minister and state leader Gopinath Munde in a car collision. “Shah will encourage BJP’s consolidation across the state, especially by promoting inclusion of voters from all sections. Shah’s presence will curb groupism in the state unit, which will help the party to put up a united show during the assembly poll,” he felt.