Nationalism, IAF strike in Pakistan to be major poll planks for BJP in Lok Sabha elections

Amid reports that the Election Commission may announce dates for general elections on March 8, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is busy finalising its election strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. 

With airstrikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) training camp in Pakistan's Balakot following the Pulwama terror attack, the BJP plans to make nationalism its main poll plank, besides development, sources told Zee Media. 

According to sources, the Indian Air Force strikes on terror camps will be a major election issue for the BJP as the country goes into poll mode. Lyricist Prasoon Joshi has been roped in to write a theme song for BJP campaign focused on nationalism. 

The lyrics of the song will be on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2014 campaign song "Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti Ki Mai Desh Nahi Mitne Dunga." The lyrics of the song were written by Joshi and also had snippets of Modi's speeches. 

It is worth mentioning that in his first rally after the announcement that India carried out airstrikes in Pakistan, the Prime Minister had recited the poem in Churu, Rajasthan.

"Main aap ko sunischit karna chahta hun ki desh surakshit haathon main hai (I want to tell you that the country is in secure hands)," he said, reminding people of his vows in 2014.

While BJP has come out with a campaign tagline of "Namumkin ab mumkin hai" (Impossible is possible now), the BJP may also launch another campaign slogan of "Modi hai to mumkin hai" (It is possible because of Modi).

Mirage-200 jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on February 26 pounded JeM's biggest training camp in Pakistan' Balakot as a preemptive measure based on actionable evidence after the terror outfit's attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

While the IAF has not given any figure on how many terrorists were killed, BJP leaders and government sources have varying figure from 200 to 400. Some opposition leaders have also raised questioned and have asked for proof.

The mystery around terrorist casualties in the airstrike has become a major political issue with even BJP ally Shiv Sena saying that India's citizens have the right to know the details.