Shimla: BJP in the midst of its party membership drive in Himachal today reported a substantial increase in numbers and said that organisational elections culminating in election of state party president and national president would only be held after completion of lower level party functionary elections.
Speaking to the media here Satyapal Jain, party incharge for Himachal said that the membership drive had so far registered 3.70 lakh members, which was more than the 3.20 lakh members that were registered three year ago.
The party holds a membership campaign after every 3 years when all existing and new members one have to register to be with the party, he added.
Only after completion of the membership drive, would assembly level ‘mandal’ elections be held, which by January would be followed elections for district president. Only after completion of these stages would the state party president election be held, he said.
Jain denied media reports that any names had been considered for state president position yet. However, he maintained that election for all positions would be held by consensus.
On completion of 2 years in office falling on 30th December, Jain said that instead of one large function like last time that was presided over by LK Advani, the party this time around would hold smaller functions at district headquarters. A minister and a party worker would preside over these functions. Later functions would held at constituency levels, he said.
About cropping indiscipline, like cross voting in the Shimla municipal corporation elections were of the 8 BJP councillors on 6 had voted for the party nominee, Jain said that efforts were being made to find out the members who had not voted for the party candidate against whom action would be taken.
Telengana Divide UPA’s Incompetence
Terming it as ‘incompetence of the UPA government’, BJP here today came down harshly over mishandling the creation of a separate ‘Telengana’ state.
Jain said, BJP stood for smaller states and supported the cause of Telengana statehood.
Under the UPA government, it was the statesmanship of the AB Vajpayee led team that was able to create the states of Uttrakhand, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand without much fuss. On the other hand the UPA government had allowed the Telengana issue to drift and caused a rift within a state that was ruled by congress party, said Jain.
Hope the government does not backtrack on the Telengana issue and let down on the commitments made to the people, he added.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads the team of media professionals at Hill Post.
In a career spanning over two decades through all formats of journalism in Electronic, Print and Online Media, he brings with him enough experience to steer this platform. He lives in Shimla.
