How BJP’s Dual Strategy Under Modi-Shah Leadership Has Secured Electoral Supremacy

The BJP’s rise as a pan-Indian political force is marked by its ability to adapt and dominate across diverse regional landscapes, leveraging socio-economic narratives and targeted outreach to secure its position.

From the Hindi heartland of the North to the politically resistant South of India, including its efforts in the eastern and western parts of the country, the party’s strategies have systematically reshaped India’s electoral map. The methods employed to achieve this dominance, however, also raise critical questions about the implications for federalism and India’s pluralistic fabric.

In the North, the BJP cemented its dominance by dismantling caste-based regional alliances. In Uttar Pradesh, constituencies like Phulpur, once symbols of Congress-era politics, now reflect the BJP’s consolidation of non-Yadav OBCs and non-Jatav Dalits.

Its strategic marginalisation of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has redefined caste dynamics, securing a loyal voter base. In Bihar, alliances with the Janata Dal (United) and hyper-local caste recalibrations have delivered victories in constituencies such as Gopalganj, breaking the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD’s) longstanding grip.

In the East, the BJP’s surge in West Bengal, where its vote share jumped from 17 percent in 2014 to over 40 percent in 2019, highlights its ability to disrupt entrenched regional parties. Constituencies like Madarihat illustrate its success in blending Hindutva rhetoric with economic promises to appeal to both urban middle classes and rural laborers, particularly in tea gardens. Similarly, in Odisha, victories in constituencies like Dhamnagar underscore how welfare schemes and infrastructure commitments resonate with economically vulnerable voters.

In the South, the BJP faces more resistance but has made calculated inroads. Karnataka remains its stronghold, with constituencies like Bengaluru South showcasing its urban appeal. In Telangana, constituencies such as Munugode highlight its growing clout, fueled by anti-incumbency against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and welfare promises. In Tamil Nadu, where Dravidian politics dominates, the BJP’s focus on Tamil pride and heritage, coupled with alliances like that with the AIADMK, reflect a slow but deliberate strategy to establish itself.

In the West, the BJP has leveraged its partnership with the RSS to deepen grassroots connections. In Maharashtra, over 60,000 RSS-facilitated meetings ahead of recent elections secured strongholds like Pune and Nagpur, demonstrating the party’s unmatched organisational depth. In Haryana, the BJP’s victories in constituencies like Adampur highlight the RSS’s ability to galvanise rural voters.

Despite these successes, critics argue that the BJP’s strategies come at a significant cost. Its welfare outreach, while fostering development, is often selective, undermining the structural reforms needed for long-term change.

Furthermore, its use of divisive narratives – blending welfare promises with Hindutva and centralising power – threatens India’s pluralistic ethos and federal structure. The BJP’s dominance may secure electoral victories, but the broader societal consequences of these techniques pose serious challenges to the democratic integrity and inclusivity of India’s political landscape.