New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is contemplating the implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) across the nation ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The party feels that the issue will prove to be a "game-changer" and its implementation may be done as early as 2022 in the run-up to the General Elections.
According to the sources, there was a feeling in the party that the Ram Janmabhoomi issue, though emotionally very important, would not be able to attract the requisite support it needs in the next general elections.
The party believed that the NRC implementation may help it reaching out to its core voters while also ensuring that the unwanted and illegal citizens in the country are weeded out of the electoral rolls, the source stated.
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A senior party leader told media that the example of Assam is being cited in the proposal as a state which has been successful in removing over 17 lakh illegal voters from the electoral rolls.
"This removal of voters is expected to help the party immensely as several constituencies that have lost up to three to four lakh voters," the leader further said.
The final NRC list recently published in Assam, over 19 lakh people were weeded out. It was implemented under the directive of the Supreme Court. In a strategic move, feedback from Assam is also being taken into consideration seriously.
"A similar effect could also be seen in cities like Delhi. The national capital has a large number of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, which if removed through the NRC, could help ensure bring down the total number of voters in each constituency by three to four lakh each," sources added.
There have been calls for the implementation of NRC across the nation from several state units of the BJP.
During the recent assembly polls in Haryana and Maharashtra, the local BJP leadership had called for the implementation of NRC in their respective states.
The implementation of NRC has been fraught with controversy as several opposition parties have opposed the way it was implemented and alleged that it targets the minority community.
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