BJP extends deadline of membership drive

BJP has extended its deadline for its ambitious online membership drive by a month to April 30 even as its membership swelled to nine crore members today.
Sources said various states, including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, had sought an extension of the membership drive as they were busy in assembly polls and required more time to aggressively pursue the drive and add more members and the party has acceded to their demand.
On the last day of the current membership drive that was to end today, the party boasts of having added nine crore members, with the last one crore members added in the last eight days.

"One crore new members in last 8 days, Thanks to all who have reposed their faith in BJP for a better and stronger India," BJP President Amit Shah said adding the membership crossed the nine-crore mark.
Party leaders say the membership drive has been extended keeping in view the response the party was getting to its hi-tech membership campaign.
Anyone can become a member of the party by dialling a mobile number but all memberships will be verified later by party members who will visit each member and verify their antecedents.

Shah also lauded the party's Gujarat unit which roped in one crore members.

"Very swiftly, BJP in Gujarat has crossed 1-crore membership mark. Congratulations to CM Anandiben Patel, office bearers and karyakartas," he said.
BJP's membership had touched the 8 crore mark on March 23 and claimed to have become the largest political party in the world, pipping Communist Party of China that has over 8.6 crore members.