ISAS Briefs

The main opposition party , the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), released its manifesto on 3 April 2009. Outlining its goals, the manifesto states, “ The BJP is contesting the 2009 15 th Lok Sabha election on a m anifesto that commits the party to an agenda for change guided by three goals: good governance , development and security .” The last time the BJP came out with its own manifesto was in 1998. In the 1999 and 2004 elections, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) brought out a common minimum programme. This paper discusses the key political and economic issues in the BJP manifesto . It then examines the i mplications of these issues on the BJP at the general elections.