BJP’s Membership in Telangana Reaches 20 Lakh, Sets 40 Lakh Members
Hyderabad: The BJP has enrolled 20 lakh members in the state so far in its current membership drive, against its target of 50 lakh. Of this, 15 lakh people received the membership through application forms, while the remaining used the Missed Call option.
The party is focusing on having more active members in the run-up to the local bodies polls to give the Congress a tough fight. The BJP hopes to gain from the inordinate delay by the Congress government in conducting the elections, as it wants to complete the process after conducting the BC census.
The party’s membership drive in-charge, N. Ramchander Rao, who is touring Nirmal to intensify the membership drive, told Deccan Chronicle that the primary membership drive, as per the earlier schedule, would conclude on Tuesday. He was hopeful that the party will extend the deadline. The party has already appointed 7,000 Shakti Kendras to monitor and conduct the membership drive.
Ramchander Rao pointed out that in the second phase, party workers who enrolled 100 or more members would be granted active membership and get responsibilities in the party's programmes. After the active membership phase, the party will make appointments at the booth, mandal, and district levels by November 15. The party is expected to get a new president after completing all the organisational elections in the second part of November.
The BJP high command is closely monitoring the membership drive. The party’s organisation in-charge and national general secretary, Sunil Bansal, has set targets for all seven morchas of the party, including Yuva Morcha, Mahila Morcha, OBC Morcha, Minority Morcha, SC Morcha, ST Morcha, and Kisan Morcha.
Party leaders admit that, although they may not reach the 50 lakh target this time, they aim to reach at least 35 to 40 lakh members. The party’s membership tally from its previous drive, conducted about three years ago, was only 11.75 lakh.
Party leaders have been telling workers that those who enrol more members in the current membership drive will be given preference when distributing party tickets for the upcoming local body polls.
