THANE: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leaving no stone unturned to realise its ambition of garnering maximum number of local bodies in the civic elections, expected to be held in the next three months. In a meeting held by state BJP chief Ravindra Chavan on Tuesday, the ministers were told that they are under the party leadership’s watch and were warned that the evaluation of their performance as leaders would be based on the success of the party in local body polls in their respective districts.
They were also asked to contribute generously for the polls, ensure a steady stream of funds from their respective areas and lead effective outreaches to woo the electorate.
People aware of the developments told HT that Chavan held the meeting with 17 cabinet ministers and three ministers of the state from the party, in the presence of joint national general secretary Shiv Prakash. The ministers were called in the groups of four for the deliberations and a thorough understanding of their positions in the districts represented by them as guardian ministers.
“The ministers were asked to ensure that the districts represented by them get adequate government funds for basic amenities and upgradation of infrastructure. Some ministers against whom there were complaints over the funds were asked to correct their style of functioning,” said a minister on condition of anonymity. “They were asked to put in more time and effort in their areas to ensure the party’s victory in the ensuing local body polls. The ministers were also asked to prepare a plan in case the party decides to go solo in certain local bodies.”
This purportedly came on the back of a few BJP leaders insisting that they go solo without the alliance with its ruling partners for better prospects in the local elections. It is learnt that Chavan insisted that as ministers draw up the plan and no room be left for friction with the allies.
The ministers were also asked to put aside their internal differences at local levels before the election as it could hamper the party’s prospects.
“As guardian ministers, it would be their responsibility to ensure victory, and take other leaders and workers with them. Chavan expressed his disappointment over complaints by some workers and leaders for not getting the funds from departments headed by BJP ministers. The overall message was for strengthening the organisation at the grassroots level,” another senior leader privy to the development said.
Chavan and other leaders in the meeting also pressed for better coordination between the party and its ideological parent the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during the local body polls. Apart from party leaders, former BJP state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the party’s former Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar also held a meeting with RSS functionaries headed by joint general secretary Atul Limaye at Yashwant Bhavan in Lower Parel earlier this week.
According to a leader who participated in the meeting, “The leaders and the organisation were on the same page when it came to a need to further expand their work at an organisational level and subsequently take the Hindutva ideology forward in these elections too as it was effective in the assembly polls.”
BJP gets swank office in Marine Drive
The state unit of BJP will get its new multi-storeyed office near SNDT Women’s University at Marine Drive soon. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will lay the foundation stone of the office on Saturday morning.
“There will be swanky offices for leaders, a conference room, war rooms and a hall. The plot was acquired by the party last year after Lok Sabha elections. The move is aligned with the party’s national policy to build state-of-the-art offices at state and district levels. The construction is expected to be completed in a year,” said a BJP functionary.