With the ‘tea seller’ barb stirring a nationwide debate, the Delhi BJP is using the opportunity to cash in on the popularity of its PM candidate Narendra Modi. The party has begun a series of tea-meetings with various professional groups and seeking their support in the upcoming Parliamentary Elections. To begin with, the BJP held a meeting with lawyers followed by a meeting with hundreds of IITians on Sunday. Interacting with the professionals, the BJP leaders not only shared with them Modi’s vision for development but also took their opinion on particular issues that would be included in BJP’s manifesto and the vision document for the lS polls.
Contrary to the traditional style of holding public meetings which witness people thronging from all strata of the society, these tea parties are aimed at a particular group of professional at a time. The BJP, from now on, plans to intensify such meetings in a run-up to the upcoming lok Sabha elections. The party has already formed scores of specialised groups which include ‘IITians for Modi’, ‘IIM Alumni for Modi’, ‘NRI for Modi’ and ‘Doctors for Modi.’ “There are several goals that we seek to achieve through the NaMo Tea Party idea. Firstly, it is to woo voters by making them aware of Modi’s vision. Secondly, we have to ensure that most of the supporters turn out at the time of voting. It also aims to hold brainstorming sessions so that the supporters are able to influence people in their localities,” said a party leader.
Senior party leaders like Meenakshi lekhi, Harsh Vardhan and Vijay Jolly have attended these tea parties, the recent one being that for the IIT alumni on January 26. The leaders have also directed their party workers to collect and compile data of good governance being practiced at various BJP-ruled States. “The supporters are also taught how to handle negative publicity. Besides, they have been asked to keep a vigil on the activities of their opponents, primarily the Congress, and launching an exposé with full facts.
They have also been asked to be active on the social media and support the ‘Modi for PM’ campaign,” said another party leader.
“The ‘NaMo Tea Party’ name is inspired by three elements. First, Modi himself was a tea vendor. Second, Tea Party movement has been a Right Wingers’ American movement who believed in free economy. Third, meetings over a cup of tea seems most informal and helps in bonding with people,” he added. Till date, the ‘NaMo Tea Party’ has been able to garner over 10,000 registered volunteers across the nation and has reached around three lakh voters directly, he added.