Days after Fadnavis' 'vote jihad' claim, BJP to focus on seats where Muslims voted en bloc in 2024 LS election. Here's why

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is faced with an uphill battle in Maharashtra ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the state. The saffron party is facing challenges in seats where it believes that Muslims voted en bloc during the recent Lok Sabha elections. 

Due to this, the BJP is now eyeing those assembly seats under the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies where Mahayuti candidates lost due to the consolidation of Muslim votes.

Muslim-dominated assembly constituencies like Dhule, Amravati, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North-Central, Thane and Bhiwandi were critical , Hindustan Times reported citing leaders within the BJP's poll strategy core group. 

While eyeing the Muslim vote, the BJP is also trying to galvanise the non-Muslim voters in and around the Muslim-dominated constituencies for the upcoming assembly polls. The BJP's attempt to get Muslim votes comes days after Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis raked up the issue of 'vote jihad' during the Lok Sabha polls. 

Citing Dhule as an example, Fadnavis mentioned that the BJP candidate in the constituency lost due to voting patterns in Muslim-dominated Malegaon Central despite leading in 5 other assembly segments in the Lok Sabha seat.

He also expressed concern about the growing confidence among some groups. "Some people believe that by voting in large numbers, they can defeat the Hindutva forces, even though they are a minority. This is time for us to awaken."

Fadnavis mentioned that out of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, 14 saw 'vote jihad'. "Hinduism has always respected other faiths; tolerance is in our blood. But if people are voting to elect anti-Hindu leaders, we need to awaken Hindutva."

A senior BJP leader said that despite "vote jihad" and "fake narratives", the BJP candidates only received around 2.75 per cent lesser votes than the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ones. The leader also claimed that the BJP even managed to gain 3.10 lakh more votes in Mumbai compared to the MVA. 

In June this year, senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said in a post on X, "FACTS BJP Mihir Kotecha Mumbai North East Loksabha LOST by 29,861 votes. DEFICIT in Mankhurd 87,971; LEAD Mulund to Ghatkopar 58,110. MANKHURD Only ONE Assembly (BANGLADESHI area) Uddhav Thackeray Sena got 1,16,072 BJP 28,101 votes. DEFICIT OF 87,971."

The BJP, however, believes that 'vote jihad' would not impact them in the assembly polls as there schemes such as Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Scheme are popular among the voters, according to a senior party leader.

The leader also mentioned that the saffron party has addressed issues faced by onion, cotton, and soybean farmers and expects to increase the voter turnout by 8-10 per cent.