The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday (September 2, 2024) kicked off its membership drive, presaging the poll process through which the party elects its president, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being the first to renew his membership.
Mr. Modi urged party members to make special efforts among women, youth and in areas where the party has been traditionally weak, to expand its base.
Speaking at a function that marked the beginning of the membership drive, the Prime Minister said it was taking place in the same “kaal khand” or era during which the 33% reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies is also set to be implemented.
“In this membership drive, can we include all those individuals who can help our party ensure that maximum number of women are elected as MLAs and MPs, and make this crucial decision a success?” he said, referring to the 33% reservation for women.
The previous NDA government, through a Special Session of the Lok Sabha, the inaugural one in the new Parliament House, had cleared the Women’s Reservation Bill, or the Constitution (106th) Amendment Act, 2023.
The actual implementation of the Act will be only after the census and once the delimitation of seats is completed. Anticipating this, Mr. Modi urged party leaders and workers to build capacity for women’s leadership through the membership exercise. During the BJP’s membership drive held every six years, existing memberships are renewed and new members are enrolled into its fold.
‘Not just a ritual’
“This membership drive is not just a ritual. It is an expansion of our family. It is not a game of numbers. It does not matter the numbers we achieve. This membership drive is an ideological and emotional movement,” he added.
Reminding BJP leaders of the history of the party, the Prime Minister said that it was possibly the only party in the country that kept up a vibrant tradition of internal democracy and organisational setup working within electoral practices.
Mr. Modi urged BJP members to make border villages a stronghold of the party. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister and BJP president J.P. Nadda also spoke on the occasion.
The membership drive will be conducted in two phases – September 2 to September 25 and October 1 to October 15 – with each phase targeting specific milestones, ensuring a comprehensive reach across the country.
