Modi to address BJP Rajya Sabha members on August 31

The BJP has convened a meeting of its Rajya Sabha members on August 31 which will be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party sources said on Wednesday.

BJP President Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will also attend the meeting, among others.

Sources said that the meeting has been convened to increase involvement of party's Rajya Sabha members in organisation and government, apart from house activities.

According to sources the Prime Minister is likely to take stock of work of Rajya Sabha members.

Modi had earlier sought a report card of party's Lok Sabha members during monsoon session of Parliament.

Sources said that Rajya Members are likely to be assigned the work to strengthen party organisation where its presence is poor. They are also likely to assigned new responsibilities.

The BJP, which has only 52 members in Rajya Sabha, is in minority in the upper house.

"The whole exercise is to held them (Rajya Sabha members) accountable like Lok Sabha members," a party leader, who did not want to be identified, told IANS.

"They needs to be answerable about use of MPLADS funds. Many of the Rajya Sabha members have not yet adopted the villages under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna," he added.

--IANS

bns/vd