Applications of over 700 politicians from other parties keen to join the BJP ahead of parliamentary elections are under scrutiny, said party sources, adding that the rush to align with the saffron party is a positive sign on its high chances of retaining power in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Screening committees at BJP’s central and state level are likely to examine the bio-data of leaders aspiring to join the party. “Approvals to join the BJP will be given only after background checks,” said a BJP functionary.
Political analysts say the rush for joining a party ahead of an election has become a parameter to weight its electoral prospects. This was seen in the run-up to Assembly elections in Telangana where the Congress went on an induction spree involving Bharat Rashtra Samithi deserters. The Congress is now hoping to replicate its Telangana success story in Andhra Pradesh.
Meanwhile, stepping up the BJP’s outreach programme ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit almost all the major states at least once by 5 February. Roadshows and public meetings are scheduled to be organised during the PM’s visits which, in case of larger states, could be more than one during this period.
BJP sources said Home Minister Amit Shah has also lined up tours to six states to step up the party’s outreach built around the development agenda highlighted through “Modi Sarkar Ki Guarantee”.
The two leaders’ pan-India rally plan is part of the BJP’s busy schedule comprising 11 massive outreach programmes in 70 days which will be completed before 15 March, sources said.
The PM’s national tour has already started with his visits to Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep and Kerala last week. His plan to touch Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Assam and Meghalaya will take shape before the big Ram Temple event in Ayodhya on 22 January.
The distribution of new responsibilities to four national general secretaries to energise different morchas is supposed to further set the tone for the buildup to the Lok Sabha elections, sources told the media.
According to sources, Maharashtra’s leader Vijaya Rahatkar and leader from the southern part of the country Vanithi Srinivasahan will approach 1.25 crore women’s self-help groups and will make them aware of the beneficial schemes of the BJP. These women’s self-help groups will be aligned with the BJP to ensure votes of their members go to the BJP.
Sources said committees for four “castes”— poor, farmers, youth and women—and the naming of their in-charge can be seen in relation to activation of morchas. For Mahila/Mahila Morcha, Baijayant Jay Panda has been given charge; for poor-SC/OBC, Tarun Chugh and Vinod Tawde have been given the charge; for Yuva/Yuva Morcha, Sunil Bansal has been given responsibility. For Mahila self-help group, Tarun Chugh and Farmers/Kisan Morcha, Sanjay Bandi has been given charge, sources said.
The ST Morcha has been handed over to Radha Mohan Das Aggarwal, while Dushyant Gautam has been given the responsibility of Minority Morcha, said a leader.