NEW DELHI: Ahead of the stormy budget session, where the Opposition is likely to mount an offensive against the government, the BJP has started preparing. Senior ministers briefed party functionaries on the achievements of their departments, the policy initiatives and upcoming projects so that BJP helps in communicating them.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, NITI Ayog’s Bibek Debroy have already briefed the BJP functionaries on the “good work” done by them. They asked the party to help in spreading the word across the country at the grass root level. Similar meetings will be held with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Tranport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Power Minister Piyush Goyal.
BJP's Good cell headed by party vice president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe is organising this exercise. The cell had earlier held meetings of BJP-ruled states ministers of culture, education, women development to arrive at a common ground.
The BJP has been feeling that despite all the initiatives taken by the government they have not percolated down. This was evident from the recent electoral reverses in states like Bihar, and other panchayat elections.
"The purpose of the exercise is that a lot of good work is being done by the government and party spokespersons need to highlight the achievements of the Modi government," BJP national secretary Sidharth Nath Singh said.
BJP chief Amit Shah had taken the same message to the NDA allies asking them to highlight the pro-poor image of the government. Even the allies were worried that government’s pro-corporate image was invoked by the Opposition again and again to attack them. This initiative could see the ruling party into organising more programme at educating the people.
Senior NDA ministers have already been asked to tour the country, while MPs would spend a night in all the assembly segments in their Lok Sabha constituencies to talk about government achievements.
Now, as the government is preparing for its budget, there was also pressure on the government to include more people friendly schemes in it so they get direct benefits.
BJP Accuses Akhilesh of 'Cover up'
BJP accused Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh of doing a "cover up" of Shamli incident in which a young boy was shot dead and asked why the state police was unable to catch the culprits when they act with alacrity to find lost buffaloes of a state Minister.
"Four days have gone by and no concrete action has been taken against the accused. The Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh is only doing damage control by suspending some officials while its leaders are making insensitive statements. The government is instead doing a cover-up of the incident,"
BJP national secretary Siddharth Nath said. BJP said it will also ask the Governor to send an independent report to the Home Ministry over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.