Initially what was the ideology of the BJP?

Gandhian Socialism

In the aftermath of the Emergency, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh merged with the Janata Party. However, following the disintegration of the Janata Party and its subsequent dissolution, former supporters of the Jana Sangh came together to establish the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980. In its initial phase, the BJP adopted a more expansive political agenda compared to the Jana Sangh, even embracing 'Gandhian Socialism' as its guiding principle. However, its electoral performance in the years 1980 and 1984 yielded limited success. Starting from around 1986, the party began to prioritize the Hindu nationalist aspect within its ideology. The BJP pursued a political approach known as 'Hindutva' and strategically mobilized Hindu sentiments.