BJP membership drive from Sept 2

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first person to renew his membership when the BJP launches its nation-wide membership drive on September 2. Union ministers, chief ministers and elected representatives from the sarpanch to parliamentarians will spearhead the nationwide membership drive, an exercise that will serve as the launchpad of the party's internal polls leading to the election of its new president.

The start of the drive will be marked by BJP president J.P. Nadda renewing Mr Modi's membership in the party before its senior leaders fan out across the country.

BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde, who is also the head of the membership drive, appealed to people to join the party in a big way. A strong BJP will lead to the making of a 'Viksit Bharat', he said.

The first phase of the membership drive will go on till September 25. Thereafter, a review of the exercise will be carried out before the launch of the second phase on October 1. It will continue till October 15, Mr Tawde said.

Active members, a term for party workers who can contest organisational elections after making a certain number of new members, will be enrolled between October 16 and 31.

Sources said there was no plan as of now to appoint a working president before a full-fledged president is elected. They, however, added that the party leadership may take a fresh call depending on organisational needs.

Mr Tawde said party workers across the country have been trained for the drive, which relies heavily on the digital medium. The party is relying on its 10-lakh active members to carry out the exercise, he added.

All existing members of the BJP have to renew their membership every six years. The current drive will be marked by the renewal of existing membership as well as making new members.

The BJP had earlier announced that the party aims to induct more than 10-crore members during the drive, which will not cover the states going to polls in the coming months.

The party's membership strength was 18 crores after the last such exercise. It has expressed hope that the party will surpass the figure this time.

New members will be made through four methods -- calling a mobile number (8800002024), scanning a QR code, via NaMo app and through the BJP's website. However, in remote areas, the party will use the traditional method with papers to enrol new members.