Nadda to Review BJP Membership Drive in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: BJP national president J P Nadda is scheduled to arrive here on Thursday to review the progress in the ongoing membership drive by the party in Chhattisgarh.

Mr Nadda is scheduled to meet the senior party leaders including chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai and state BJP president Kiran Deo to review progress of the ongoing membership drive by the party in the state, a party spokesman said here on Wednesday.

The party has set a target to make 50 lakh members in the state during the membership drive, to be carried out in three phases, party spokesman Anurag Agrawal said.

The first phase of the drive ended on Wednesday.

Sources said that the party is expected to draft 20 lakh members in the first phase of membership drive.

Mr Nadda is also scheduled to attend several party functions during his stay here.

Sources disclosed to this newspaper that Mr Nadda may meet select senior party leaders in the state separately to take stock of the situation in the state amid reports of rumblings in the party over the style of functioning of some ministers in the Vishnu Deo Sai government.

“Some ministers in the state government are trying to become power Centres in the government, much to the discomfiture of the state leadership. The matter has already been taken to the notice of the Central leadership. Mr Nadda is likely to meet select senior leaders to take stock of the situation in this backdrop”, a senior party functionary told this newspaper, requesting not to be quoted.

Sources said that Mr Nadda’s scheduled visit to the state may pave the way for the long-awaited reshuffle in the Vishnu Deo Sai ministry.

It is speculated in the ruling BJP circles that a few ministers may be dropped to pave the way for new faces in the Sai government in the upcoming ministry reshuffle in the state.