New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership has voiced dissatisfaction with the lacklustre participation from various states and leaders in its recent membership drive. The first phase of the campaign, which commenced on 3 September and concluded on 25 September, fell short of expectations as the party secured approximately 6 crore new members in just 23 days.
The BJP had ambitiously set a target of enrolling 1 crore new members by 25 September, coinciding with the birthday of party founder Deendayal Upadhyaya. Despite vigorous efforts, the campaign achieved only 83 lakh new members, missing the goal by 17 lakh. This shortfall has prompted party leaders to scrutinise the performance of several key states.
States such as Rajasthan, Telangana, Karnataka, and Bihar were identified as lagging behind in the membership drive. Rajasthan amassed 26 lakh members, Bihar 32 lakh, and Telangana struggled to register over 10 lakh new members, failing to meet even half of their respective targets. These states have been urged to bolster their efforts in the ongoing membership campaign.
Conversely, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam demonstrated stronger performances, collectively contributing over 3 crore new members. Uttar Pradesh alone accounted for more than 1.5 crore members, achieving 65% of its 2 crore target. Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh each surpassed the 1 crore mark, reaching 75% of their targets, while Assam met approximately 85% of its 65 lakh target.
Among smaller states, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura showcased commendable results. Tripura enrolled over 10 lakh members, achieving 60% of its target, Arunachal Pradesh reached 65%, and Himachal Pradesh completed 75% of its membership goals. Uttarakhand also surpassed the 10 lakh mark, fulfilling 65% of its target. Delhi stood out among the metros, with the BJP securing 14.5 lakh new members.
Despite the overall numbers falling short, the BJP leadership expressed satisfaction with the quality of new members. Over 80% of the new registrations involved complete form submissions, providing detailed information about the members. This contrasts with previous drives in 2014 and 2019, where membership was primarily acquired through missed calls, limiting data collection.
In response to the first phase’s performance, the BJP has integrated the BJP Yuva Morcha more closely with the membership drive for the second phase, scheduled from 2 October to 20 October. A meeting held on 27 September with Yuva Morcha leaders, including General Secretary Sunil Bansal and National President Tejasvi Surya, emphasised the need to engage youth through targeted initiatives in colleges and institutions. The focus will shift towards attracting quality members rather than merely increasing numbers.
On 26 September, BJP’s National Organisation Minister BL Santhosh expressed frustration over Rajasthan’s poor performance in the membership drive during a meeting in Jaipur attended by MPs, MLAs, and organisation leaders. The party stressed that state leaders must take responsibility for improving membership numbers.
To invigorate the membership drive, BJP President JP Nadda is set to visit Telangana on 28 September. He will convene a meeting of party office-bearers in Hyderabad’s Begumpet area at 8 pm, aiming to energise the campaign. MPs and MLAs have been assigned specific targets—15,000 members for MPs and 5,000 for MLAs—but many are struggling to meet even 10% of these goals.
Launched on 3 September, the BJP’s membership drive is divided into two phases, with the second phase now underway. Notably, states like Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, and Jharkhand have been excluded from the current drive due to impending assembly elections. The party’s ability to address the initial phase’s shortcomings and effectively mobilise support in the second phase will be crucial as it prepares for upcoming electoral contests.
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