Govt only a tool to achieve party programmes: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday showered fulsome praise on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah for the party's successful membership drive that made the BJP "the largest political party on earth". Modi's endorsement of the BJP chief is significant, as Shah drew flak from within the Sangh Parivar and media, after the party had lost the Delhi Assembly elections.

Modi said the membership drive, launched on November 1, has made 100 million members. The party hopes that these members will help it take the message to the common people that its land Bill is pro-farmer.

Modi, in his 40-minute speech to a preparatory meeting of party office-bearers on the eve of the two-day National Executive meeting of the BJP, said no one should make the mistake of putting the government above the party. He said the party was supreme and the government was only a means to implement the party's programme. The prime minister, who landed in Bengaluru on Thursday evening, said the party needed to follow the examples of leaders such as Jan Sangh founder Deendayal Upadhyaya, socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia and Mahatma Gandhi, who have been immortalised for harnessing the strength of their followers in national building and to initiate social movements.

According to sources, the PM said the 100 million members could accomplish so much more than any government can do. Modi said he would like 10,000 of these new members to completely devote themselves to the cause of 'Swachh Bharat' campaign.

The new party members should contribute to cleaning of the Ganga and other rivers of India, spreading the message of Yoga by commemorating June 21 as International Yoga Day in each and every village of India and other efforts to contribute to nation building, the PM said. Modi said the membership drive has increased the confidence of the party workers, and that these 100 million members were the real owners of the party. The national executive is scheduled to discuss a resolution on the PM's foreign policy successes on Friday. It would discuss a political resolution that will also seek to chart out the party's strategy to reach out to farmers on the land Bill issue.

The PM appealed to party office-bearers to think of the underprivileged, when formulating party programmes and policies. Modi is slated to address a public meeting on Friday.