With the Election Commission making it abundantly clear that expenditure on “Modi tea stalls” would be directly put into the account of the area party candidate, local BJP leaders have found a way around this. Now, along with the workers they will be inviting voters into their homes to chat about the prime ministerial hopefuls -- perhaps over a cup of tea.
A municipal leader said on Tuesday that to create awareness about the programme, the party has enlisted the help of its councillors and MLAs as well as those who lost the corporation and Assembly elections. South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) House Leader Subhash Arya said the party’s Chai pe Charcha programme recently raked up a controversy after election officials in Uttar Pradesh filed a case against some BJP leaders for distributing free tea in violation of the model code of conduct. Mr. Arya, however, explained that the party’s “gatherings” on March 31 will not run into any trouble with the Election Commission.
“We will hold small Chai pe Charcha gatherings in homes, and not at public places. If the party has no other plan for me that day, I will hold one in my house also,” he said.
The gatherings are meant for 15 to 50 people who live in the area and the purpose of the meeting is to discuss the voters’ options for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Mr. Arya said.
“These meetings will be open to all those who live in a particular area,” he added.
The municipal leader has been given the responsibility of managing the campaign for the West Delhi Parliamentary seat, but, he said, similar programmes will be held all over the Capital.
North Delhi Municipal Corporation Leader of the House Mira Aggarwal said: “Committees have been formed for each of the seven Parliamentary seats. As political leaders in the party, all councillors and MLAs will be working for the campaign.”
According to SDMC Standing Committee Chairman Satish Upadhyay, “the small gatherings will be held in a decentralised manner”. “We will be going door-to-door to approach every voter. Everyone is welcome to these meetings. If there are people who don’t believe in the Modi vision, it is our responsibility to convince them,” Mr. Upadhyay said.
Apart from the meetings, the party is aiming to have 10 workers at each booth in the city to create awareness about prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s vision for the country, Mr. Arya said.
“Our main strength is our cadre, our workers,” said Mr. Arya, adding that the workers would reach out to voters to make sure the tea parties are a success. “Within two or two-and-a-half hours of the Chai pe Charcha meetings all over the city we will get a report on what the people’s mood is,” he added.
