Bengal BJP Initiates Public-Driven Manifesto Campaign Ahead of Elections
With crucial assembly elections in West Bengal just months away, the state's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit announced on Saturday an ambitious drive to crowdsource its election manifesto, scheduled to run until February 18. The opposition Trinamool Congress (TMC) swiftly responded by labeling the initiative as "lazy outsourcing", setting the stage for a heated political exchange in the lead-up to the polls.
A Modern Political Strategy: Crowdsourcing Manifestos
Crowdsourcing election manifestos through both offline and online channels has become a prominent feature of Indian politics over the past decade. This approach, now adopted by major parties including the Trinamool Congress, Congress, and CPM, aims to foster greater public participation and shift from traditional top-down policy formulation to more people-driven strategies.
In a similar move, the DMK in Tamil Nadu launched its own crowdsourcing campaign in January, introducing an innovative AI-powered portal to collect and analyze public responses for the first time. Notably, assembly elections are scheduled in both West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, highlighting the strategic timing of these initiatives.
BJP's Comprehensive Public Engagement Plan
Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya outlined the party's detailed plan for gathering public input. "Starting today, this drive will continue till February 18," he announced. The initiative includes:
- 1,000 drop boxes distributed across the state for physical suggestion submissions
- A toll-free helpline (9727294294) for verbal recommendations
- Dedicated email addresses and QR codes for digital submissions
- Traditional letter-writing options to BJP party offices
The manifesto drafting committee will be chaired by Tapas Ray, a former TMC MLA who defected to the BJP. The committee also includes prominent figures such as economist and MLA Ashok Lahiri and former Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta, ensuring a blend of political and economic expertise.
Political Positioning and Policy Focus
Bhattacharya emphasized the BJP's electoral strength in Bengal, noting that over 2.4 crore voters supported the party in previous elections. He framed the current political landscape as a binary contest, stating, "With due respect to the others, it is now proven that there is a political binary in Bengal in which only BJP can take on Trinamool. The rest are irrelevant."
Inviting broader public participation, he urged non-voters to contribute their views, declaring, "Change is inevitable. One political hegemony has been replaced by another in Bengal." The BJP's policy focus, as outlined by Bhattacharya, will prioritize:
- Development of heavy industry
- Improvement of law and order
- Insulating the judiciary from external pressures
- Generating employment opportunities
Trinamool Congress's Sharp Criticism
The Trinamool Congress responded with pointed criticism. Derek O'Brien, the party's Rajya Sabha leader and a key member of TMC's manifesto drafting teams, dismissed the BJP's effort as "lazy outsourcing". He drew a parallel to national governance, remarking, "PM Narendra Modi's BJP has even outsourced its governance to Delhi."
O'Brien characterized the BJP's move as last-minute preparation, saying, "They are now like students who only try to study just before their examinations. We do it all year." He accused the BJP of neglecting Bengal for 15 years and resorting to election-season gimmicks, confidently predicting, "People in Bengal have made up their mind. They will bring back Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool with a thumping majority."
Questioning Implementation and Past Record
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh raised practical concerns about the BJP's plan, questioning, "Why only 1,000 drop boxes in Bengal? Can't they arrange for more? Bengal is a big state." He challenged the BJP to address past issues before proposing new policies.
Ghosh highlighted specific grievances, demanding explanations for:
- The unilateral stoppage of the 100-days job scheme in Bengal after the BJP's defeat in the 2021 assembly polls
- Blocked funds for rural housing, roads, and water projects
This exchange underscores the intensifying political rivalry in West Bengal as both major parties gear up for the upcoming elections, with manifesto development becoming a central battleground for public trust and policy credibility.
