NEW DELHI: Following PM Modi’s remark during the recent BJP office-bearers meet that some leaders of the party were disconnected from grassroots-level workers, the party leadership in Delhi has launched a exercise named Pravas (stay) for buttressing the organisation structure ahead of the municipal elections scheduled early next year.
As part of the programme, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Kumar Gupta will spend ‘time’ with the booth-level workers and office-bearers in all 280 wards. A senior party functionary said the move is an obvious outcome of the PM’s stern message to the state units.
“The associates, who work on the ground, are the backbone of any outfit. If they get disenchanted, the party weakens. After a wake-up call from the PM himself, the entire state machinery has got activated. Pravas will help our leadership connect with the people before the municipal elections,” said a Delhi BJP leader. Modi in the meeting had reportedly asked party leaders to shun “arrogance” and interact with ordinary workers regularly.
On Thursday, Gupta conducted his first Pravas in Chittaranjan Park ward in which ‘Panch Parmeshwar’ (five in-charges of a booth) and block and district leaders were present. “With Pravas, the party has started preparations for next year’s municipal elections in Delhi. The aim is to strengthen booth management and
expansion of the party. This will be an opportunity to initiate two-way communication.
During the programme, a meeting will be organised in every wards in which booth-level workers and their in-charges, office bearers, and leaders, who have contested the polls in the past, will be present,” said Kuljeet Singh Chahal, general secretary of Delhi BJP.
Pravas was introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his tenure as the BJP national president. He used travel to states and meet local leaders to strengthen the support base of the party. “Grassroots-level workers would be able to convey their suggestions and issues to the Delhi BJP chief as the programme will provide them a platform to interact with him directly,” said Chahal.