Still reeling under the Aam Admi Party's sweep of Delhi elections, the BJP is trying to take a leaf out of its political lexicon. As the party nears the fag end of its membership drive, it will reach out to slum dwellers and other socially disadvantaged groups across the country.
Still reeling under the Aam Admi Party's sweep of Delhi elections, the BJP is trying to take a leaf out of its political lexicon. As the party nears the fag end of its membership drive, it will reach out to slum dwellers and other socially disadvantaged groups across the country.
Realising that it had failed to bridge the gap with these sections the way AAP did, the BJP will be approaching them at their doorsteps. The party plans to hold a special campaign in such colonies in two phases -- March 9 to 11 and March 16 to 18 -- in various states, in a bid to enrol people into the party.
"We will go with a message about whatever we have done for the poor and the steps taken and schemes announced by the Narendra Modi government," said BJP vice-president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe.
The BJP, which will use its mahila morcha and scheduled caste morcha in the campaign, will adopt traditional ways to reach out in slums and colonies dominated by scheduled castes or other disadvantaged groups, either by going to their homes or putting up stalls where they will register people through SMS or phone call.
The AAP had done well in constituencies in Delhi where there were a large number of slums in the election in which the BJP won just three of the 70 seats. In the recent union budget, finance minister Arun Jaitley emphasised on inclusive growth and kept in mind the bottom of the pyramid entrepreneurs. "Being sensitive to the needs of the poor, under-privileged and the disadvantaged, my government also remains committed to the ongoing welfare schemes for the SCs, STs and women," Jaitley had said.
While it seeks to induct the poor, the BJP will put its "special force" or cream of the organisation in the forefront of its membership campaign which ends on March 31.
With the membership touching six crore, the party still runs over two crore short of its target of crossing the record of the Chinese Communist Party which has a membership of nearly 8.5 crore. If the BJP crosses this figure, it can claim to be the largest political party in the world.
The party has now made it mandatory for active members to give a list of at least 100 members recruited by them, a method which is also being used by the Congress. In some states, full time workers have been asked to go to villages and enroll 300 members.
Uttar Pradesh has recorded the highest membership at 1.5 crore.
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