lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Apr 16, 2019 11:51 IST

In an attempt to focus on its development agenda, especially in the context of what it will do if it returns to power, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will shortly unveil another campaign slogan, Kaam Ruke Na, Desh Jhuke Na, perhaps as early as this week itself, two BJP leaders said on condition of anonymity.

The slogan roughly translates as work must not stop, the nation must not bend. “The new slogan will underline that much work remains to be completed, and there should be a continuity in the government,” one of the two leaders cited above said.

The second leader said this would help focus the campaign on some of the party’s promises such as a pucca house to everyone, or interest free loans of up to R1 lakh on Kisan credit cards, which are work-in-progress and need a stable government.

The other issues this slogan will help highlight are the 75 milestones that the BJP?said it will try to achieve, if in power, before the 75th anniversary of India’s independence in 2022. These include 100% electrification of households, access to safe drinking water, 75 new medical colleges, and banking services within 5km of an individual.

The BJP’s main campaign slogan will continue to be Phir Ek Baar, Modi Sarkar (Modi government once more). The party also used Modi Hai To Mumkin Hai (Modi makes it possible) as its slogan at the beginning of the election season.

According to the two leaders, there was a school of thought within the party that it was important to focus on development to counter the Congress’s minimum income guarantee programme Nyay (Nyuntam Aay Yojana), even as the BJP kept the “nationalism” issue alive.

That can perhaps explain the second part of the slogan. While using the Kaam Ruke Na, Desh Jhuke Na slogan, the party will underscore the importance of Modi’s return to power.

“The new slogan is more about what we will do, instead of what we have done,” the second leader said.

“Our manifesto is not about populism, but promises to achieve ambitious targets to eradicate the menace of poverty,” the first leader said.