BJP’s Astute Commander Dharmendra Pradhan Outwits Over-Confident Congress in Haryana  

In the Haryana Assembly election results of Tuesday the BJP snatched sweet of victory right from the mouth of the Congress. Proving all pre-poll analysis and predictions wrong, the BJP is all set to form the government achieving a hat-trick for the first time in Haryana since its formation 1966.

Dharmendra’s Magic:

The credit for the BJP’s win in Haryana, which was never anticipated by exit polls and political pundits, goes to Dharmendra Pradhan. As the party’s in-charge for Haryana elections, he managed to repeat what he had achieved in 2019. He played a leading role in managing the BJP’s poll strategy in Haryana by managing daily strategies and operations as well as drawing up the manifesto.

On Jat Mat:

The BJP strategists led by Pradhan could assess that the so called polarisation of Jat votes for the Congress in Haryana could also serve as a counter-polarisation for the BJP. The Pradhan-BJP team ensured that Jats don’t vote en bloc for the Congress.

Pradhan’s game plan has succeeded as the BJP showed up lead in 19 of the 36 Jat-majority seats in Haryana while in the Lok Sabha elections in recent past, the Congress led in the 27 of the 36 Jat-dominated seats.

The BJP also encashed on the over-confidence of Congress’ Jat leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who took these seats as guaranteed by slowly making inroads into them.

Adding & Retaining Support:

As part of Pradhan’s strategy, the BJP made its best to amass the support base of its former ally, the Jannayak Janta Party of Dushyant Chautala.

Due to proper planning and booth-level management under Dharmendra Pradhan, the BJP could retain its base in the Ahirwal belt in southern Haryana even in 2024 repeating similar support in 2014 and 2019.

Great Unifier:

The greatest factor that Dharmendra Pradhan could put up was display of unity of the Haryana BJP under the leadership of Nayab Singh Saini, who had become Haryana’s chief minister only a year back. He could subdue all possible in-fighting in the Haryana BJP and Saini was projected as CM face. No one else was in shown to be in the race as former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was already a Union minister.

This show up of unity was in sharp contrast to over-confident Congress, where Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, Randeep Surjewala and Bhupinder’s son Deepender Hooda were seen to be aspiring for the CM’s post.

Able Strategist:

So, Dharmendra Pradhan used bitter in-fighting in the Congress, a united show under Nayab Singh Saini, and retainment of loyals voters by the BJP to craft out a win for the BJP in Haryana.

Dharmendra Pradhan’s grassroot level political acumen, which is always reckoned, proved to be a boon for the BJP in Haryana. As he started his political career during his student days in Utkal University, he has the capacity to deal with the mood of the voters and the political organization as well.

Catalyst of Odisha Win:

In recent past, Dharmendra Pradhan was the key catalyst behind BJP’s never before performance in Odisha. Pradhan’s role in BJP’s Odisha win was acknowledged by the Chanakya of the saffron party, the Home Minister Amit Shah during an election rally.

BJP’s manifesto for Odisha paved the path for its victory in the state. Amit Shah in his speech credited Pradhan for heading the team that formed the manifesto for the Odisha assembly elections. It was Pradhan who swayed the electorate in Odisha towards the BJP through promises of buying paddy at Rs 3,100 per quintal, cash voucher of Rs 50,000 to women under Subhadra Yojana and fight for Odia asmita. He was the key brain behind BJP’s poll strategy management in Odisha. Added to it, Pradhan’s no holds barred attack on IAS-turned-politician VK Pandian as an outsider and use of issue of “missing keys” to sacred Ratna Bhandar of the Puri Jagannath Temple also drew results.

BJP Loyal:

Pradhan also bears a long-standing legacy of loyalty to the BJP. He is the son of Debendra Pradhan, who was the minister of state for surface transport and agriculture in the Second Vajpayee ministry. Debendra Pradhan, who also was a member of the RSS is acknowledged for establishing the foundation of the BJP in Odisha. He was the president of Odisha BJP from 1988-1993 and then from 1997-1997. Debendra Pradhan was also the national vice president of the BJP. Hailing from a family that rooted the BJP in Odisha, Dharmendra Pradhan is extremely rooted to the party and knows the organization from the core.

What’s Next:

So, speculations are rife that after his recent successes in Odisha and Haryana as well as in Uttar Pradesh in the past, he may be considered as a top contender to succeed JP Nadda to lead the BJP in future. His close proximity with PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah is already a known fact.