- BJP is the only party where a common party worker can become the country’s PM: Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel
NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, SEPT 3
The Bharatiya Janata Party aims to enrol 2 crore primary members, including 66 lakh women, in Gujarat, a senior leader said on Tuesday.
“Women hold an important place in our party. In light of the 33 per cent reservation for women, our aim must be to enrol approximately 66 lakh female members in our party,” Gujarat BJP chief C.R. Paatil said while inaugurating the Gujarat leg of the party’s membership drive.
Paatil handed over the first membership to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel during an event at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in Ahmedabad.
The Chief Minister expressed “pride in being part of the BJP,” noting that the BJP is the only party where an ordinary worker can rise to become the Prime Minister for three consecutive terms.
PM Modi had asked BJP members in Delhi on Sunday to expand the party during the membership program in a way that a maximum number of its women candidates are elected to Lok Sabha and assemblies when 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures comes into force.
Paatil, also the union Jal Shakti minister, stressed that the Central leadership had not set any specific target for Gujarat. “However, the state unit will aim to enrol at least 2 crore members and secure top position among other states”.
Paatil suggested enrolling women and those workers of the BJP who have not renewed their primary memberships.
“The BJP is the only party where you must renew your primary membership every six years. It applies to everyone, irrespective of the position they are holding. This is necessary to avoid stagnancy. Though the Central leadership has not set any target for us, we will try to enrol 2 crore members during this drive in Gujarat. This will be our target,” Paatil told the gathering.
Prominent BJP leaders from Gujarat, including former chief minister Vijay Rupani, ex-deputy CM Nitin Patel, MPs, MLAs, and several former and incumbent ministers attended the event and renewed their membership.
“We must ensure Gujarat becomes a number one unit in terms of membership. To achieve this target, you need to enrol those who were with us earlier but didn’t renew their memberships for some reason. We can enrol women as party workers during this drive,” said Paatil.
CM Patel exhorted BJP workers to work unitedly to make India the number one country.
