CHANDIGARH: For the first time, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab has managed to make some inroads into the rural areas of the state. In its ongoing membership drive, the party has gained members from the hinterlands.
However, the overall response to the membership drive has been mixed, with the BJP enrolling 6.68 lakh members in Punjab and Chandigarh (Union Territory) so far.
The nationwide membership drive began on September 2, but in Punjab, it has been extended until mid-December. The Punjab unit of the BJP had set an ambitious target of enrolling 30 lakh members. In the previous membership drive, the party enrolled over 24 lakh primary members in the state, compared to 3.50 lakh members in 2014.
According to party data, 6,68,354 members have been enrolled in Punjab and Chandigarh, of which 5,02,160 have completed their registration forms—3,88,590 in Punjab and 1,13,570 in Chandigarh.
Additionally, approximately 1.50 lakh forms, mostly from rural areas, have been physically filled out and sent to the party office. These forms are yet to be updated in the system, sources revealed.
Among the 117 assembly constituencies in the state, notable rural enrolment numbers include Jalalabad (1,738), Gidderbaha (5,548), Balluana (2,001), Jaito (1,186), Bathinda (Rural) (5,213), Sardulgarh (2,442), Lehra (1,528), Patiala (Rural) (4,473), and Sanour (2,621). Conversely, some rural constituencies like Banga (371), Chabbewal (796), Sham Chaurasi (400), Urmar (481), and Bholath (604) showed lower engagement.
In urban constituencies, the drive saw stronger participation, including Kharar (5,342), SAS Nagar (15,150), Khanna (1,518), Ludhiana (East) (15,368), Ludhiana (Central) (11,133), Jalandhar (Cantonment) (4,190), Jalandhar (North) (11,906), Jalandhar (Central) (12,296), Jalandhar (West) (3,793), Amritsar (North) (4,723), Amritsar (West) (4,639), Amritsar (Central) (6,128), Sujanpur (6,264), Pathankot (5,302), and Gurdaspur (3,727).
A senior party leader commented on the response, saying, “It is a mixed response—good in some places and okay in others. Last time, during the membership drive, the party was in power at both the Centre and the state, which had an impact. Now, being in opposition in Punjab affects participation. But, for the first time, the membership has been conducted scientifically, with missed calls followed by detailed forms and photographs. This ensures we have authentic data and genuine members.”
The leader added that the BJP previously contested only 23 assembly seats, primarily in urban areas, and had little to no cadre in rural regions. With the party now expanding its base, members are being enrolled in villages for the first time, and a proper cadre is expected to develop soon.
However, sources within the party attributed the lukewarm response to internal issues, such as a lack of effort from state leaders.
This is reportedly due to differences between traditional party leaders and those who switched from the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal just before the 2022 assembly elections and the recent Lok Sabha polls.
Another senior leader noted, “For the last few months, the state unit president, Sunil Jakhar, has not attended meetings or campaigned in the panchayat polls and assembly by-elections, as he had submitted his resignation, which has yet to be accepted. This has created uncertainty. Many other state leaders are also keeping a low profile. As a result, the membership drive has been affected, and now the focus is shifting to the upcoming elections in four municipalities.”
The same leader further remarked, “There is total confusion within the party on several issues, including the membership drive. While the veteran leaders feel sidelined due to the prominence given to leaders from other parties, those who recently joined are still adapting to the party’s organisational culture.”
Despite its inability to secure a single seat in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the BJP witnessed a significant increase in its vote share, rising to 19.56%. This marked the first time since 1996 that the BJP contested solo in Punjab.