The State BJP in its membership drive starting from July 6 will give much focus on enrolling members from tribal community. The party has planned to enroll 3.5 lakh members from Scheduled Tribes (ST) community.
The State BJP has made BJP ST Morcha president, Ashok Baraik and office secretary Ravi Munda as in-charge of membership drive among ST. The party by giving special focus on membership drive will make inroads among ST communities. In the just concluded Lok Sabha elections, the BJP’s performance in tribal reserved seats was dismal. Out of five ST reserved Lok Sabha seats, the party won three seats Dumka, Lohardaga and Khunti, while in two other reserved seats Rajmahal and Singhbhum the BJP candidates lost to JMM and Congress respectively.Out of three winning seats—in Khunti and Lohardaga, the BJP candidates Arjun Munda and Sudarshan Bhagat won with slender margin. Also, in Khunti and Lohardaga, the BJP candidates trailed in many Assembly constituencies. Out of total 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand 28 are reserved for STs, but in more than half of them BJP trailed in Lok Sabha elections.
Sources said that a section of tribals was upset with BJP over Government interference over Chottanagpur /Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (CNT/SPT) Act. The Pathalgadi movement and government’s highhandedness in curbing the agitation angered tribals against the government. By giving special focus on tribals in membership drive the Saffron party plans to outreach tribal.
The BJP membership drive commencing on July 6 will run till July 30. Each MLA has been given the task to enroll 50,000 members from their assembly segments. The Assembly segments where there is no BJP MLAs, the task has been assigned to respective district presidents. The BJP plans to make 30 lakh new members. The BJP already has 25 lakh members in the State.
BJP chief whip and Chhatarpur MLA, Radha Krishan Kishore said, “The party will give focus on making members from all communities irrespective of caste, religion and region. Special focus will be given in making members at Kolhan and Santhal Pargana. Similarly, focus will be given on making members from scheduled caste and scheduled tribes (SC/STs).”
Meanwhile, the State BJP on Thursday appointed coordinators and co-coordinators for membership drive. In Ranchi Mahanagar, Kailash Mahto has been appointed as coordinator, while Satyendu Singh has been appointed as co-coordinator. Coordinators and Co-coordinators have been appointed in all 25 districts unit of party.