BJP targets 50 lakh membership in Odisha

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Saturday launched a campaign in Odisha with an aim at increasing BJP members from 36 lakh to 50 lakh.

The campaign will also lay an emphasis on strengthening the party at grassroots level.

"We are aiming at increasing the party's membership from 36 lakh to 50 lakh. The mega drive to induct new members will be carried out in all the 36,000 booths across the state, Pradhan said while launching the campaign here.

It will enable the state to be an active partner in building a new India and a new Odisha," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally kicked off the party's membership drive from Varanasi on Saturday.

The campaign's launch in Odisha, which is a part of the party's countrywide mega membership drive, coincided with the 118th birth anniversary of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

Noting that the campaign will solidify the party's organisational strength at the grassroots level, the Union petroleum and steel minister said the membership drive in the state would be undertaken with added vigour among women, youth, students, poor, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

"Special efforts will be made to attract youngsters, including those who have become first time voters, towards the party and induct them as members," Pradhan said, adding, the people of Odisha will "play a significant role" in strengthening the party.

Special attention will be given for stepping up the campaign in slums, colleges, hostels, malls, markets, railway stations and bus stands.

BJP MP from Bhubaneswar, Aparajita Sarangi, said steps would be taken to connect people belonging to all sections of the society.

Prominent among those present at the programme were Rajya Sabha MP Ashwini Vaishnav and BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra.