Enough space for us to grow in AP, says BJP leader

‘Our ascendance will not disturb our ties with TDP’

Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao addressing media in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. Visakhapatnam MP and State BJP president K. Haribabu, Visakha North MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju, and BJP city unit president P.V. Narayana Rao are seen.- Photo: C.V.Subrahmanyam

The Bharatiya Janata Party has a clear resolve to emerge as a strong national party in the State and expand its membership to have a presence at every election booth, BJP national general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao said.

The growth of the BJP in the State would not disturb the relationship with electoral ally Telugu Desam Party, he told the media here on Saturday and added that there is enough space in the political arena for the BJP to grow.

The membership drive taken up in a mission mode over the last five months has seen 36 lakh enrol in the State, he said adding that the drive would conclude on April 30. The party aimed to have 10 crore membership across the country which would make it the single largest party in the world. This achievement would be a celebration of democracy, he said.

From May 1 for three months the party leaders would go door-to-door to verify the applications and weed out faulty applications. In the subsequent three months the party would be organising training camps for the party ideology for the new members.

Replying to pointed questions on the stand of the party on the issue of granting ‘special status’ to the State, he said that the BJP was committed to the development of the State and would do everything for that. However, there may be procedural delays in granting ‘special status’ he said.

Member of Parliament from Visakhapatnam and president State unit of the party Khambampati Haribabu, BJP MLA from Visakha North P. Vishnu Kumar Raju and BJP City unit president P.V. Narayana Rao were present.