NEW DELHI: In a first for Indian elections, representatives of 15 political parties (confirmed so far) from other democracies will be having first-hand experience of witnessing world’s biggest democratic process from inside the arena. BJP, which facilitated foreign diplomats’ presence to understand the electoral exercise during the recent assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, among others has invited major political parties from different democracies to experience party’s campaigning and get an inside view of Lok Sabha polls.
The visitors will be in India around the third (May 7) and fourth (May 13) phase of the Lok Sabha polls when the fate of 196 constituencies will be decided, where they will meet candidates, visit different parts, witness rallies and attend party meetings.
The initiative is to showcase the vibrant democracy which BJP has been promoting as “mother of democracy” and to quench the curiosity as to how a general election of this scale is organised and on how the “world’s biggest political entity” (BJP) works.
Vijay Chauthaiwale, in-charge, department of foreign affairs, BJP, said: “So far 15 overseas political parties have confirmed their presence in India.”
“India is a vibrant democracy and there is a lot of curiosity around this across the globe. Moreover, BJP being the ruling party, there is curiosity around it as well in general and how a party of this scale works,” said Chauthaiwale, adding, “Therefore it is important to showcase the mother of democracy.”
Visitors will first be briefed at BJP headquarters in Delhi. Thereafter, they will be divided into groups of four or five and will be taken to different parts of the country to “show how BJP campaigns,” visit media centres, and attend meetings and rallies happening around that time.
BJP is also inviting volunteers from Indian diaspora in different countries to campaign in India for two weeks, as well as host awareness activities in foreign shores by various BJP chapters abroad.
The two pronged strategy of the party is to host programmes in their own counties and in India by the foreign chapters and the foreign affairs cell in India to complement with similar activities in India and abroad.