With an eye on 2014 polls, 'Friends of BJP' revived to woo youth, professionals

In an attempt to reach out to a large number of young professionals before the next general election, BJP is all set to revive ‘Friends of BJP’. Before the last general election, the BJP with the goal to galvanise the youth and professionals formed a separate group ‘Friends of BJP’. The organisation was entrusted with the responsibility to engage youth with the political process to bring about transformational change in India.

A senior BJP leader said it will the help the party to accomplish its mission 272+ in the 2014. “A group of professionals, entrepreneurs and youth has come together to form ‘Friends of BJP’ before 2009 polls,” he said adding the group members are not from the BJP but lean towards the BJP.

As per the plan, the group will reach out to young professionals from all sections of society such as doctors, lawyers, management experts and hold an interactive session with senior leaders.

BJP leadership has appointed a three-member committee to oversee ‘Friends of BJP’ and also to hold intellectual conferences in the run up to the elections. The committee comprises Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Prakash Javadekar and Tamil Essai. A BJP leader said the group will reach out to voters through SMS campaigns, its  website and other social media outlets, including Facebook and Twitter.  

A brainchild of Piyush Goel, a chartered accountant, party treasurer and member of Rajya Sabha,  ‘Friends of BJP’ had worked actively during the last general election. It had become almost defunct after that. “It held a few meetings across the country in the last four years but failed to match the intensity with which it worked before 2009 elections,” said a BJP insider.

The group organises talks by senior party leaders who speak about the current state of the country, policies and misrule of the present government.