NEW DELHI: Soon, tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda could be an icon of the Jharkhand unit of BJP, or Babu Veer Kunwar Singh of the Bihar wing of the saffron outfit. BJP chief Amit Shah has asked all state units of the party to identify an icon each that can help bind people and workers to the saffron outfit.
To make party workers help build a strong infrastructure from the polling booth to the higher levels, BJP has mandated the state units to commemorate six events in a year on a grand scale. “While five events have been identified by the party at the Central level, one aspect has been left to the state and union territory unit, which has been asked to identify an icon around whom there could be an annual programme on a large scale,” said a BJP national general secretary.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah acknowledged the descendents of the leaders of the Paik revolution in Odisha at the party’s national executive meeting in Bhubaneshwar a few months ago. “Each state has a unique historical and cultural tradition. BJP believes in going beyond the usual election works and connect with the people through their minds and hearts,” added the BJP functionary.
Five occasions are being commemorated by the party at the polling booth levels. “On February 11, BJP celebrates Samanwayata Diwas (social amity day), while April 6 is the party’s foundation day, which is also the death anniversary of party ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay. On June 23, BJP commemorates the Balidan Diwas on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, while September 25 is celebrated as the birth day of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay,” said the BJP leader.
The BJP, thus, has a well spelt out calendar for the whole year, which is increasingly becoming more busy with the thrust of the party chief to hold regular events to keep the organisation ready to face any election.