BJP organises ‘Atal Bandhan’ to counter Sena’s ‘Shiv Bandhan’

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the project and expressed confidence that ‘Atal Bandhan’, named after former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, would unify the workers and spread the party’s message to the remotest part of India

The BJP workers tied a thread on each others’ wrists, binding them to the party. The ritual also aimed at making the workers responsible in spreading the good work done by the BJP-led governments in the state and the Centre.

City BJP chief Ashish Shelar (second from right) ties a symbolic thread on chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ (third from left) hand on Monday. (HT photo)

This is being seen an alternative to ‘Shiv Bandhan’ started by the Sena where its workers tie a saffron thread to their wrists in a symbolic way to show their commitment to the party. It is also being conceived as a move to keep the morale of its party workers high before the civic and zilla parishad polls scheduled next year.

According to BJP leader Prasad Lad who conceived the idea, the BJP planned the ritual along the lines of Raksha Bandhan, where a brother is bound by his sister. “Similarly, party workers would be bound to BJP and it would be their responsibility to fulfill the dreams of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis,” said Lad. “The workers have now been given the task to spread awareness of the various initiatives taken by the BJP-led governments for the common people,” he added.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the project and expressed confidence that ‘Atal Bandhan’, named after former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, would unify the workers and spread the party’s message to the remotest part of India.

Political analysts, however, have described such events as gimmicks. “This is the classic case of gimmicks where symbolic events are being iconised. People are more interested in governance than in such events,” said Prakash Bal, eminent political commentator.

The BJP, which has played a second fiddle to the Sena for 25 years, is now rearing to go alone and make a mark in the civic and zilla parishad polls scheduled in 2017.