COURTESY ET JULY 8
SANGATHAN PARV: TARGET TO GET 100 MILLION NEW MEMBERS
BJP Adds Social Engagement to Its New Membership Drive
Wants members to plant trees & conserve water apart from working for Swachh Bharat
RakeshMohan.Chaturvedi@timesgroup.com
New Delhi:
BJP has not confined its ambitious membership drive to only getting more party card holders alone. It has combined this exercise with social responsibility by encouraging tree plantation, Swachh Bharat and water conservation in villages and cities across the country.
The ‘Sangathan Parv’ or membership drive was launched on July 6 by BJP leaders across the country. The leaders also planted saplings before asking people to join the saffron party. A dedicated mobile number has been made public for people to give a missed call to express their desire to join the party.
However, unlike in 2014 when the aim was to get as many missed calls as possible, this time the BJP is going in a more systematic manner. BJP Working President JP Nadda held a meeting of party Morcha (Front) heads and members on Sunday at the party headquarters to brief them on the exercise.
“The membership drive should also have a social responsibility aspect. It should include a Swachhta Abhiyan at every booth and a plantation drive as well. Every couple should plant a tree per five members of their family,” Nadda said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led by example by participating in the membership drive in his constituency Varanasi on Saturday. Reiterating this view, BJP chief Amit Shah said the PM has entrusted the three responsibilities — of Swachh Bharat, planting trees and undertaking some programme to ensure water conservation in every village.
“The Prime Minister has given three responsibilities to those going for a membership drive. The BJP worker will spread awareness about Swachta without fail in every village. They have to plant five saplings each and also undertake some initiative for water conservation,” Shah said.
BJP has set a target of getting 100 million new members and Nadda maintained that the party will exceed this target.
A special focus of the drive is to reach out to the weaker sections of the society and associate them with the party and its programmes.