There is a need to increase the membership base of the party in the State, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah has said.
He was addressing Kerala leaders and district unit presidents of the party at a high-level leadership meeting here on Friday. Party general secretary H. Raja was present.
More memberships alone would take the party forward in the State, Mr. Shah said adding that no other organisational matters would be discussed at the meet. He urged party workers to concentrate rigorously on the membership drive and bring in at least 40 lakh new members.
The State leadership said it would bring in a maximum of 30 lakh people into the party fold as it lacked the resources to achieve a huge target. Finally, the target was set at 35 lakh. The party had only five lakh members in the State now.
The plan of the State leadership was to rope in another five lakh members, sources said.
Most of the leaders were of the view that the party had greater prospects in the State in the coming days as the youth had lost interest in the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the Congress.
Leaders from Kannur said youngsters from hardcore CPI(M) families were attending RSS meetings.
BJP State president V. Muraleedharan said the increased vote share the party achieved in the recent bypolls to local bodies was a reflection of the changing mindset of society.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charisma had won many admirers for the party, especially among the middle classes and the minorities.
No demands for change in the party State leadership were raised at the meeting.
Top on listMr. Shah said Kerala and Tamil Nadu were on top of his priority list. He said he would pool in more resources to strengthen these two units. “Kerala has larger potential in the changing situation. We will improve the tally in the local body elections,” he said.
State leaders said the priority would be to capture power in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and the Palakkad municipality.
