NEW DELHI: The BJP, a month after the formation of government at the Centre, has shifted its focus on strengthening the party organisation. To improve coordination within the party and engage with people, each Union minister would from July 15 devote a day at the party headquarters on Ashoka Road.
A decision in this regard was announced at the first dinner meeting of the ministers at the BJP office here on Wednesday.
The meeting also saw Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Rajnath Singh providing tips on ways to build a good rapport with the party cadre.
“The ministers will interact with people on a daily basis. Each minister would serve a day at the party office. This “Sahyog” programme was started during the Vajpayee regime and we will continue it,” said Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar after the meeting.
“The ministers are doing their work, but they also have to meet organisational responsibilities. From July 15, everyday a minister will stay at the party headquarters to listen to people. They will also visit poll-bound states,” Javadekar said.
The party would hold another meeting on Thursday, where Rajnath is expected to interact with over 170 BJP Lok Sabha candidates, who lost the elections. This first-ever stock taking exercise is aimed at identifying the reasons for their failure and taking corrective measures to address them.
The flurry of meetings ahead of the budget session also hints at the party’s preparations to face the state Assembly elections that are likely to be held soon after the session ends on August 14. Sources also indicated that the party might announce its new president in the next a few days.
The announcement of Z-plus security for party general secretary Amit Shah has set off strong speculation that he could replace Rajnath as the party chief.
Meanwhile, the party is expected to decide on its poll strategy for Haryana, which goes to the polls in October, and the chief ministerial candidate ahead of budget session that would begin on Monday.
Captain Abhimanyu, who is also the party spokesperson, has emerged as the front-runner for the top job. The party is likely to go it alone in the state Assembly elections.