Rama Krishna Sangem
“More people are coming forward to take the BJP membership in Telangana this time. We want to give membership to around 50 lakh people in the state,” said N Ramchander Rao, senior BJP leader and Telangana membership campaign chairman. BJP has launched new membership drive all over the country early this week and it will conclude by October 15.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal charisma is attracting people towards us. People in Telangana have come to the view that BJP would come to power in the next assembly elections and this is evident from the tremendous response our membership drive,” said Ramchander, former MLC. He spoke to Excel India about the ongoing membership drive in Telangana.
Telangana BJP has around 11.85 lakh members as of now. The membership is given for a period of three years and it can be renewed for another three years. After that, fresh enrollment will have to taken up. But, the state party is buoyant with its recent electoral performance in Telangana. BJP won 8 MLSs with close to 14 per cent vote share in the assembly and 8 MPs with 36 per cent vote share in Lok Sabha polls.
“We got 78 lakh votes in the parliamentary elections and we want to convert at least 70 per cent of them into our members,” said Ramchander Rao. These are all ordinary members. Active members too will be enrolled based on their performance in the general membership drive. BJP wants to strengthen its base in Telangana by spreading to remote areas too through this drive.
Tech Savvy drive
The membership drive is being carried through online enrollment and free of any fee. So there is no scope of some leades sitting somewhere and showing fake membership. For active membership, the fee is Rs 100 and its done through Namo App. “Other parties are no match to us in the membership drive. We go to people of all sections, including women, youth, farmers, tribal people and minorities too,” said Ramchander Rao.
Compared to other southern states, people of Telangana are more inclined to take into account national issues like abolition of Article 370, triple talaq and construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya. Now there is a political vaccuum in Telangana. BRS is in a limbo while ruling Congress is gaining anti-incumbency due to failure of implementing its poll promises,’ said Rao.
Senior BJP leader Vinod Tawde is the in charge of national level membership drive.
