BJP Parliamentary Board to meet today to set the ball rolling for electing CMs

New Delhi: A day after wresting record victories in Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the BJP's highest policy making body - the Parliamentary Board - will meet in the capital later today to review party's performance and set the ball rolling for zeroing in on the names of Chief Ministers. BJP president Amit Shah yesterday told reporters that the mandate this year especially in UP and Uttarakhand signaled a major shift in Indian polity and the politics will be henceforth devoid of caste, creed, religion and appeasement regimentation.

He further has said that the Chief Ministers will be chosen on the basis of "merit and capability". Ahead of the Parliamentary Board meeting, the party workers will felicitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his leadership resulting in overwhelming victory in the Assembly polls. The BJP also expanded its base in Manipur wherein it did not have much presence even a few years back. Mr Shah also exuded confidence that BJP will be able to form government in Goa and Manipur where the mandate threw up hung Assemblies.

In Manipur, the Congress and BJP have both failed to secure absolute majority. Congress emerged single largest party with 28 seats, just three short of the magic number of 31 in the house of 60 while BJP has 21 Assembly seats. BJP can, however, bank on possible support from allies NPF which has 4, LJP - 1 and NPP 4. There is one independent and Trinamool Congress also has one seat. In 40-member Goa Assembly, Congress bagged 17 seats - four short of majority but BJP with 13 members of its own is not far off from the power as it can bank on smaller and regional parties. (UNI)