Nagpur: The State unit president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Raosaheb Danve claimed on Thursday that his party will have a “robust booth-level organisation” in all 288 Assembly segments in Maharashtra before the 2019 Assembly elections.
“Over the next two years, we will be working to make our organisational structure stronger which is why I am travelling in Vidarbha region. Our aim is to have 25 dedicated party workers on every booth. We are covering all the booths including those segments where Shiv Sena won. We will need 7,500 dedicated booth workers in each constituency. We have achieved this target at almost 70 per cent of the booths across the state. The training of these booth workers will begin from December 1,” Mr. Danve said at a press conference here. He added that a “war room” has been set up in Mumbai to monitor this.
“Preparations have begun for the 2019 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. I was moved to see the enthusiasm and response of the party workers. We don’t claim to have 25 workers on every booth but we will make sure that the BJP workers are present for every single polling booth when the elections take place,” he added.
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Mr. Danve reiterated that the state cabinet’s expansion would take place after the winter session of the Assembly in Nagpur, and former chief minister Narayan Rane would be given a place in the cabinet.
To a question on disgruntled BJP MP Nana Patole’s rebellion, Mr. Danve said the party would try to speak to him during the winter session. He denied that there were any “disputes” between his party and Shiv Sena and claimed that it was all “a media creation”.
“Every party should keep its organisation robust. We have fought many elections with them (Shiv Sena) and many elections without them. Whatever they (Shiv Sena) are doing is to expand their party base. This government will complete five years successfully. There are no challenges before us now but we won't sit at home,” the Jalna MP stated.
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When asked about “outsiders” being given tickets in elections and dedicated party workers being denied tickets, Mr. Danve said, “For decades, despite strong efforts, we could never become the number one party in Maharashtra. We have become that now because we allowed good workers from other parties to come to our party. To ensure sure they do not feel neglected, some of them were given tickets. But it was to a limited extent. Almost 85 per cent tickets have been given to dedicated party workers. How can you call someone an outsider if he came to our party 15 years ago?”