The BNP badly needs to reconsider its current strategy.
Our new opinion poll demonstrates quite clearly that its policies over the past year have failed to win round a majority of the public.
A combination of public disapproval of its programs and satisfaction that the economy has improved since the hugely disruptive pre-election hartals means there has been growing support for the government and the BNP has not made any gains above its core base.
The party needs to change its approach to build public confidence if it is to gain support from vital swing voters, who presently seem to be favouring the AL.
More of the same type of protests and programs is unlikely to deliver any gain in support for the BNP, whether or not the government actively hinders its ability to organise.
The most positive finding for the BNP in the survey is that it has a clear 13% lead over the AL with voters aged 18 to 24. In view of the youthful age profile of the population, this is a key demographic which gives it hope for the future.
When read with the fact that the AL lead over the BNP is only 3% in rural areas, it is clear the opposition party still has a base from which to build support.
To do so successfully, it needs to learn from its failures of the past year. There can be no doubt that the public’s abhorrence of the violence that occurred during the pre-election hartals damaged the party’s support. It cannot afford to make similar mistakes again.
