With Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi heading BJP's election campaign committee, the party wants its State units to adopt the Gujarat model at the lowest level of governance - the local bodies - in run up to the 2014 general elections. The idea is to strike a perfect coordination between the Government and the civic bodies in the BJP-ruled States and also work out a uniform model of development in other States.
The State leadership of the BJP have been asked to work out a uniform model to ensure cleanliness in all civic bodies ruled by the party. Further, emphasis has to be given on e-governance that has been successfully implemented in various municipal corporations in Gujarat and Delhi. "Successful implementation of e-governance in local bodies will ensure transparency as well as prompt delivery of services. 'Service-at-door-step' has been the formula in BJP ruled municipal corporations of Surat, Vadodara and Rajkot in Gujarat and those in Delhi that has yielded good results," said Vijender Gupta, national convenor of the local Bodies Cell of the BJP.
"With visionary work on the ground level, Gujarat has become a role model for all States at all levels of governance. The perfect coordination between the State Government and the civic bodies has presented an ideal situation for development at the lowest level that concerns voters the most," Gupta said, adding the BJP-ruled civic bodies have been asked to follow best practices in sanitation services, solid-waste management, recycling waste and generating energy from waste. The idea is a part of micro-management of the 2014 general elections campaign. The move also aims at strengthening BJP's support base in urban pockets that have been the stronghold of the party.
The former Delhi BJP president has also asked the State unit presidents to assess and prepare a detailed report on party's strength in the local bodies all over India. A letter in this regard has also been issued to the State leadership.
"All State unit presidents are required to compile details of the party's elected members in all local bodies -- including municipalities and Nagar Panchayats in their respective States. They should also appoint convenor and co-convenor at the State level to co-ordinate with the national cell. This is being done as part of the preparations for the lok Sabha polls next years; directions for which have been issued by BJP national president Rajnath Singh and general secretary (organisation) Ram lal," read the letter, a copy of which is available with The Pioneer.
A senior Delhi BJP leader said that after the party's national executive meet in Goa, where Modi was named the election campaign committee head, party president Rajnath Singh had asked Ram lal to compile a national database of elected local body members. The idea is to train these leaders on effectively using the civic bodies as a platform to promote good governance.