Delhi BJP pitches for 'clean' Lok Sabha campaign

Clean campaign is the diktat passed to Delhi's Bharatiya Janata Party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Defence minister and in-charge of Delhi elections Nirmala Sitharaman has advised party workers to restrains themselves from doing any negative campaign.

Sitharaman is currently touring the seven constituencies of the national capital as part of the popularity test of BJP MPs ahead of the polls. The parliamentarians are being assessed across different parameters which will affect their chances to be brought into the foray again. She is taking feedback from different party functionaries like mandal president, ward councillors, sitting MLAs, Lok Sabha prabharis and even councillors and legislators who lost elections during her visits.

Sources said that the cabinet minister during her interaction with workers and other party members to highlight achievements of the Modi government during the canvassing. She asked them not to criticise opposition using personal remarks and avoid making any kind of personal attacks. "There are clear instructions to focus on clean campaign. BJP members have been asked to make voters aware of the clean governance of the NDA government and avoid any kind of slandering," sources said. They have, at the same time, been asked to make people aware of central government benefits that the Aam Aadmi Party government has not extended to the people of Delhi.

Party members privy to the meetings held by Sitharaman in the past two days, further share that she is "encouraging" workers to speak their mind. "She is asking them to be vocal and talk about hyperlocal issues regarding Delhi. They are also given a platform to air their grievances and give suggestions," a senior party leader involved with the process said.

Sitharaman visited North West and Chandni Chowk on Wednesday, represented by Dr Udit Raj and Dr Harshvardhan respectively. The minister was accompanied by co-incharge Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya.

TEST OF SEVEN DELHI MPS 

• Defence Minister and Delhi election incharge for the BJP Nirmala Sitharaman is conducting ‘popularity test’ of the seven MPs, an exercise which is a precursor to finalising candidates for upcoming Lok Sabha
  elections. 
   
• ‘Lok Sabha Pravesh’ as it is titled will assess the elected representatives on various parameters, the results of which will have a bearing on fielding them again. 
   
• Nirmala is taking feedback from different party functionaries like mandal president, ward councillors, sitting MLAs, Lok Sabha prabharis and even councillors and legislators who lost elections.