Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked BJP MPs to undertake a 150-km-long ‘padayatra’ in their respective constituencies between October 2 and October 31, to mark the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel respectively, and to reach out to the public in villages. He suggested that 150 groups should be formed in each Lok Sabha constituency to take up the 150-km walk.
Addressing a BJP parliamentary party meeting, Modi also asked Rajya Sabha members to visit constituencies where the BJP organisation was weak. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi quoted Modi as saying so in the second Parliamentary party meet here after BJP’s victory in the Lok Sabha polls.
“Modi told MPs that everyone should carry out a 150-km-long padayatra in their constituencies during the period starting from October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, to October 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel,” Joshi said after the meeting. The ‘Yatra’ detail could be worked out by the party and the MPs.
Sharing details of the proposed programme, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal said the prime minister underlined that these padayatras should focus on villages and reaching out to public. “Modi told MPs that 150 groups should be formed in each constituency which will cover 150 km and the party MPs will be part of these groups. The idea is to reach out to public and seek their feedback on the Government’s work and their expectations from us,” he said.
Meghwal said Modi underlined that Gandhi and villages will be the focus and MPs should discuss Gandhian thoughts with the people. Modi also suggested that plantation of trees, cleanliness and other issues related to village can also become part of the planned marches, Meghwal said.