BJP readies 15 lakh cadre for booth level mobilisation

The BJP had started its preparations for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections several years in advance, even training an army of over 15 lakh workers to ensure booth level campaigning can be done without a hitch. Party sources have told DNA that the training programmes have been going on since 2-3 years, in about 13,000 places around the country.

Training of karyakartas has been going on in a "most scientific" manner, the sources said. This included a curriculum, while even books were written and booklets were printed, they said.

"This was the first of its kind training programme ever done by any political party. In fact, this is the biggest political exercise ever done by any political party anywhere in the world. This will certainly help swing the poll outcome in favour of the BJP," said party general secretary and strategist Muralidhar Rao, who is also in-charge of BJP training cell.

All important leaders of the party — especially those who moved to the BJP from other parties — have taken part in the programme. Members from various levels — mandal level, district level, state level and national level — were provided training, while morcha wise training programmes were also held: Yuva Morcha, Mahila Morcha, Kisan Morcha, SC Morcha, ST Morcha etc.

As part of the curriculum, the karyakartas were taught about the party's ideology and how to convert it into an electoral appeal rallying behind Brand Modi, sources said. They were also told how to make better use of technology to reach out to voters, sources said.

And apart from ideology, the karyakartas were also briefed about a series of policy initiatives of the Modi government, and how to drive home this message.