BJP workers accused of lacking enthusiasm

WITH THE VISTARAK CAMPAIGN, THE BJP PLANS TO WIN POWER IN MAHARASHTRA BY EXPANDING ITS BASE IN AREAS WHERE IT IS RELATIVELY WEEK

Top state leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday criticised party workers for their lukewarm response to the party’s expansion plans.

At a two-day meeting of the BJP’S executive in the industrial town of Pimpri-chinchwad near Pune, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, union minister Nitin Gadkari and state BJP president Raosaheb Danve pulled up vistaraks, party workers and leaders who are entrusted with spreading the party’s ideology and message across the state.

There are 5,000 vistaraks in the state. The expansion plan was launched recently and named after Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay.

With the campaign, the BJP plans to win power in Maharashtra by expanding its base in areas where it is relatively week.

The ‘vistaraks’ are supposed visit assigned areas and spend time with people.

The three state leaders also expressed worry as party workers did not show enthusiasm for the programme.

Sources said the ‘vistarak’ programmed is the brainchild of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the party’s ideological mentor.

Under the programme, vistaraks are required to work for a minimum of 15 days to a maximum of six months. All elected representatives and office bearers are also supposed to follow suit.

BJP national president Amit Shah himself has undertaken a countrywide tour for 90 days. He is travelling to those areas in the country where the party is struggling to gain a foothold.

A vistarak is also expected to stay away from his/her the family during the stipulated period so that he can concentrate on the party’s work.

Danve appealed workers to take party’s plan seriously. He reminded them that Shah himself had taken the initiative. “We had to cancel training programmes for vistaraks twice. It can’t be tolerated. The party will not spare anybody,” he warned party workers at the concluding session on Thursday.