THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Anticipating the revamp of MGNREGA to weigh down the BJP in the upcoming assembly election, the party has decided to reach out to beneficiaries of the rural employment guarantee scheme by addressing their concerns through grassroots-level workshops and conventions.
In a meeting with the party’s constituency presidents and district core team, senior leaders said that over 62 lakh people fall under the scheme in the state, which is a significant vote bank. The move comes following the party’s analysis that both LDF and UDF are likely to raise the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill in their election campaigns.
BJP leaders said programmes have been drafted at the state and national levels with this in mind, adding that they will be unveiled in the coming days. “Workshops aimed at removing misunderstandings over the new scheme will be held at the state, district, and constituency levels before January 20. Following this, conventions will be held at the constituency level with the participation of farmers and other stakeholders,” sources said.
As a grassroots-level campaign, the district conventions will be held with all local body members of the party and representatives of the Karshaka Morcha.
Addressing the significant reduction in voter numbers as a result of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, the BJP has urged all its booth-level workers to add at least 50 people who have been marked as either absent, shifted or deceased (ASD) in the draft roll. The house contact programme to promote this will also be initiated from January 15, sources said.