BJP's poll effort expectedly rests on stalwarts like Raman Singh, Vasundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan who are referral points in its campaigns with local and regional issues and credibility of the competition being deciders.
As Modi draws large crowds, BJP managers sense an opportunity to tap negatives enveloping the Manmohan Singh government with the Gujarat chief minister attacking the Centre over terrorism, price rise and a series of scams.
This could be particularly useful in states like Delhi where opinion polls show BJP to be lagging due its inability to shut out the new Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a rival. It hopes a few Modi rallies and even road shows will charge its campaign.
The party fancies its prospects in both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, but its poll managers are unwilling to underestimate silent anti-incumbency in states with large development backlogs.
BJP is confident that both Singh and Chouhan come across as doers, but counts on Modi to reduce or divert anti-incumbency sentiments by his provocative and powerful attacks on the Congress record in office at the Centre.
The saffron party's feedback indicates the Congress can be made to pay for the perceived weaknesses of a Centre reeling under scams like Coalgate that have made the PM a target. Policy drift and poor governance are also talking points.
The Centre's incumbency is seen to make the task of Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot that much more difficult with opinion polls indicating that his BJP rival Raje is posing a strong challenge.
If the BJP's gambit in wheeling out Modi extensively works to its benefit, the party may be able to paper over some chinks in its armour in all the four states going to polls.
In what could be an early start to the 2014 campaign, Modi will have a lot to gain if BJP does well. There is a risk that Congress successes will almost certainly dent his momentum, but BJP seems prepared to run the risk.
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