Our target is to include 18 lakh members in Telangana: Amit Shah on membership drive

Ranga Reddy: Launching BJP's membership drive here, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the target for his party in Telangana is to include 18 lakh new members.

"Earlier the aim for Telanaga was 12 lakh members but I want to increase it to 18 lakh. If it is possible then I am ready to do membership drive in every district of the state," he said addressing a meeting.

"Our party works on ideology and organisation. We have progressed slowly but now we have become consolidated," Shah said.

Hitting out at Congress, Shah said, "Many parties like Congress disintegrate after defeat. Congress disintegrated to include every letter of English alphabets like Congress O, Congress U, Congress Y, Congress Z, Congress A, Congress B, Congress I etc. Similarly TDP is also getting divided."

He said the BJP did not run on caste and individual basis. It was run on the basis of ideology of making India a "Vishva Guru" (World leader). "We do not get divided with a defeat," he said.

Referring to a time when the party had just two seats in the Lok Sabha, Shah said late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had taunted them by saying "hum do, humare do".

"This mockery was for Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani. Now Congress does not have the status of opposition and BJP gets full majority."

"We believe that an organization gets started with membership. In BJP the election of booth level worker and of the national president is done keeping in mind punctuality and party procedures. We do not have lifelong membership. We give every member a chance to think about remaining in the party after every six years," he said.

The BJP President said, "Membership is the basis of our party's development. Prime Minister Modi has said that in every booth BJP should be made strong. Wherever we go for membership drive we will also do Swachata Abhiyan and plant at least five trees."

Shah also congratulated Modi for the budget, saying it opens schemes for rural farmers and poor people of the country.

"We will make India a 5 trillion dollar economy by 2022 and I want to thank PM Modi for this. This confidence of a leader takes the country forward.

"Modi brought India from number 11 to number 6 spot in terms of economy and in 2022 we will take it forward to number 3 by making the country a 5 trillion dollar economy. A country cannot develop with pessimistic thinking. Our country has potential and resources which our Prime Minister understands. We have taken this aim and every BJP worker will work for achieving this," he said.

The Union Home Minister further said, "Our aim is that when India completes 75 years of Independence every household will have electricity, water and cooking gas. 130 crore people should have all these basic facilities. We always work to unite society with the slogan of Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas. Development for all sections of society."

Shah also spoke about how BJP's strategy is being adopted by other parties, saying, "When I see Sharad Pawar and Akhilesh Yadav doing membership drive on road then I feel happy that they are also following our path."