The BJP’s top brass is not resting on its laurels after the spectacular showing in the recently concluded Assembly polls in five States and has planned to kickstart a nationwide youth connect, starting with a week-long celebration of Babasaheb Ambedkar’s birth centenary from April 14.
Signalling his intent to push forward with preparations for the 2019 general election, Mr. Modi said, “ Na baithunga, na baithne doonga (I wont sit back and rest, nor allow you to sit back),” addressing a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party , the first after the Assembly polls.
Youth ambassadors
Mr. Modi asked party leaders to work during the week following April 14 to give a boost to the use of the BHIM app, a digital payment application, by educating people and helping them download it, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.
“Youth should be made ambassadors of government programmes for public welfare and good governance, said the Prime Minister,” Mr Kumar added.
Party leaders were also asked to publicise Ambedkar's works and contributions. The BJP will also observe its foundation day on April 6 with programmes in every district office.
Pointing out that youngsters depended on their mobile phones more than on newspapers and TV channels to get information, Mr Modi stressed need to use this medium to reach them. He also asked the party leaders to contact students while they were still in Class XII.
Thanking the party for support during the U.P. polls, he also said that he wanted to also mention “ woh jinhonen mooh lal nahin karaya ” (those who didn’t embarrass me), a pointed reference to motormouths in the party given to making unseemly comments.
Next challenge
BJP chief Amit Shah too had a back to business prescription for the party, telling MPs that the next big challenge for the party was the 2019 general election, now less than two-and-half years away.
Mr Shah said the BJP's win underlined people’s support for welfare schemes launched by the Central government and a brave decision like demonetisation. The BJP Parliamentary Party also passed a resolution thanking voters and party workers. Not all was just business — party leaders were given prasad from the Tirupati Tirumala temple to mark the party’s victory.
