NEW DELHI: If the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah era started in the BJP on May 16 last year when the country gave a decisive mandate in favour of the saffron party, their stamp will now be cemented at the organisation’s grassroots level.
A massive exercise is underway in the BJP to overhaul its organisational structure from the lowest rung — the booth level — and move upward to elect block and district level functionaries. Armed with 11 crore new members, BJP hopes it will have a party structure at the block level in all districts. The party will elect new state presidents by November 20, while its national president will be formally elected before 2015 comes to a close. Shah is likely to get his first full three-year term. “He is currently completing the rest of the term of Rajnath Singh, the previous BJP chief,” a party functionary said.
Sources said Shah had told party leaders to strengthen BJP’s structure in seven “weak” states: Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Odisha. With elections due in many of these states in the next few years, BJP hopes its structure at the booth level will help it reap electoral benefits. Party leaders say the generational shift will be brought about by new members, who will be associated with the election process. What makes the party’s elections significant is the fact that they are being held for the first time since Modi was elected prime minister, and his trusted lieutenant Shah was elevated to the post of party president. The elections underway at three levels in the party’s structure have their share of difficulties.
Election Selection