HYDERABAD: The BJP is facing a major challenge in reaching its membership target set by the national leadership for Telangana. As of Friday, the state unit managed to enrol only 17 lakh new members, against the target of 50 lakh set by the high command.
With just six days remaining for wrapping up the membership drive, a sense of urgency prevailed in the state unit of the party. According to sources, the state leadership has now focused on enrolling at least a “respectable” number of members.
As per the party guidelines, sitting and former MPs, MLAs, MLCs, office-bearers as well as contested candidates should have enrolled at least 1,000 members each on their referral code. This was conveyed quite clearly to the leaders who were told to focus on their Lok Sabha, Assembly and Council constituencies to enrol a significant number of members. However, the leaders have not reached anywhere near the number.
Some MPs, MLAs, and office-bearers have allegedly outsourced the membership drive to contracted agencies using personal referral codes, despite the party leadership explicitly warning them against such practices as it would lead to artificial memberships.
Even after the series of instructions by the party leadership, the leaders have not changed and are allegedly enrolling members using the same practices. Allegations have also been made that some leaders are offering monetary incentives to lower-level cadres to boost memberships under their referral codes.
Buoyed by its strong showing in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has pinned hopes on the membership drive in the state.
Ex-MLC sure BJP will enrol 25L new members
The BJP candidates had claimed 35% of vote shares which led to the party high command expecting the state unit to enrol at least 35-40 lakh members.
Meanwhile, BJP in-charge for the membership drive and former MLC N Ramachandra Rao told TNIE that the recent floods and Ganesh Chaturthi and Dasara festivals led to the slowdown of the membership drive. “The process has sped up over the last four days,” the former MLC said, expressing optimism that the BJP will attract more members than the 11 lakh it achieved during the last such exercise.
Rs 18 lakh new members enrolled so far’
“As of today, we have attracted 18 lakh new members in Telangana and we have another six days to increase this number further. We are expecting the party membership to cross 25 lakh,” Ramachandra Rao said.
The current situation has spa rked off serious discussion within the party, with concerns being raised over both the pace of the drive and the integrity of the process.
Meanwhile, an interesting discussion is taking place in the party echelons that the elected representatives are not showing much interest in membership enrollment.
They secured a good number of votes in the election but when it came to membership enrollment they were unable to get results. This inability to enrol members is making one wonder if they won only because of Narendra Modi’s charisma.