Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah, buoyed by the saffron party’s electoral gains, gave a clarion call to increase party membership two-fold, and forecast a BJP government in Telangana in the future.
Mr Shah, who is the Union Home Minister, was speaking to the party’s workers and supporters at a membership drive on Saturday, which corresponded with the birth anniversary of Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder S P Mookerjee. He was flanked by senior party leaders, including State president K Laxman, Minister of State G Kishan Reddy and the recently elected MPs from Telangana. “In the capacity of BJP president, I congratulate you (people of Telangana) that you have laid a foundation of 19% vote. Based on this, a BJP government being formed here is certain,” he said. While Mr Shah said that in the past the party was successful in reaching 18 lakh members, he urged the party in the State to increase their target from 12 lakh to 18 lakh. “If you’re unable to do it, let me know. I will go to each z illa, ” he said.
The Union Minister thanked the voters of Telangana for giving the party 19% of the vote share. He said that in 17 states, the BJP secured over 50% vote share and asked the party members to work towards replicating this success in Telangana. He urged party workers to take up swacchta abhiyan, greenery augmentation and include people of all communities during the membership drive.
Taking a swipe at the Congress, he said the party split after losses and the party factions were named after several letters of the alphabet, including Congress (I). Mr Shah criticised the Congress and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for reportedly mocking at the saffron party for having only two members in Parliament then.
