New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have advised all newly elected MPs, BJP chief ministers and state units to organise ‘karyakarta abhinandan samaroh’ (workers’ felicitation) instead of getting themselves felicitated for the unprecedented success of the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.
As part of this workers’ outreach programme, BJP chief ministers, state unit chiefs and MPs will organise local-level felicitations of party workers and apprise them of their importance in the party’s scheme of things.
Sources said the workers will also be told about what PM Modi and Shah, who is also the BJP president, think about their contribution to the party’s success in the elections and will be given ‘thank you’ messages on their behalf as well.
A few MPs have already felicitated party workers. The reports of all the felicitation ceremonies will be submitted to the respective state BJP in-charges, the sources said.
Earlier, Modi had advised the newly elected MPs, who were to be sworn in as ministers in his cabinet, to desist from holding any ceremonies after getting cabinet berths. The advice was given at a tea party hosted by the prime minister at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence just hours before the oath-taking ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 30 May.
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‘MPs shouldn’t think BJP’s win is only about them’
Among all the other directives from Modi, the felicitation of workers has been given the utmost importance by Shah. Sources said the BJP brass is of the view that MPs and state leadership should refrain from thinking that the party’s win in the Lok Sabha elections is only about them.
“There is a strong perception that workers should be given their due credit for the return of Narendra Modi government. The BJP has sustained over the years because of dedicated workers and not due to the leaders,” said a senior BJP leader, who has already felicitated workers in his constituency.
Another senior BJP leader from Himachal Pradesh said: “We are not Congress where the leader is supreme. We understand the value of workers and it was also felt by the party chief. Rather than getting themselves felicitated, leaders should go out and thank the people who have worked for the party.”
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Reconnecting with cadres
Sources said the felicitation exercise is also crucial to reconnect and rejuvenate the cadres ahead of assembly elections in three states this year — Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
It was pointed out that by appreciating the hard work put in by the BJP workers, the party would reconnect itself with the grassroots.
“These booth-level karyakartas are the backbone of the party. And ever since the elevation of Amit Shah as the party chief, there has been a concerted attempt to reach out (to them) and strengthen them,” a party source said.
Besides the felicitation ceremonies, the BJP will also launch its membership drive in July. The target this time is to add up to three crore members. According to the BJP, the party, at present, has 11 crore members.