Once upon a time Congress would take municipal polls seriously. Apart from expanding or retaining political influence, the idea was to keep the party's organisational machinery oiled and moving. It was also a talent spotting exercise.
Post-1984 holidays became fashionable. So. https://twitter.com/dhanyarajendran/status/1331944781589532674

Local elections are the stepping stone to State elections. State elections are the stepping stone to national elections.
Vacations between big ticket elections are the stepping stone to political & electoral oblivion.
Politics was and remains a 24x7 job for a serious politician.

Both LK Advani and AB Vajpayee took local elections seriously. A famous ABV quote comes from a muncipal poll rally in Rajasthan. ABV was garlanded on the dais by BS Shekhawat. He took off the garland and dramatically declared, in his inimitable style, "मुझे हार नहीं जीत चाहिये"।

Apart from ignorance, the disdain that comes through in the Commentariat's sniggering comments on BJP mobilising for a local election also shows up the yawning gap between fossilised perceptions and dynamic realities of governance structures of new #India. Local is now important.

Adding this superb thread by @visaraj to explain why local elections are important for political parties and political leaders with a longterm strategy. https://twitter.com/visaraj/status/1331963214188273666?s=19

"Hyderabad municipal election is about 5 Lok Sabha seats and 24 Assembly seats. That's the bigger picture." https://twitter.com/IndiaToday/status/1332306806668812288?s=19