BJP's upcoming National Executive meeting in Delhi to witness bigger virtual presence
New Delhi: In the wake of the current Covid situation and keeping the protocols in mind, the ruling BJP's upcoming national executive meeting is going to witness a lesser physical presence with more focus on virtual participation.
BJP's highest body's meeting is scheduled for November 7 and 8 in the national Capital, which is going to witness the participation of more than 350 invitees, including national executive members, party veterans, special invitees, and other regional leaders across states.
The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and be addressed by BJP national president J P Nadda.
According to a party insider: "The option has been given to attendees to join the meeting virtually or by being present physically. As we have to maintain certain Covid protocols, there could be a problem in accommodating such a huge number of people."
A party source added: "According to what has been decided till now, committee members or invitees from adjacent areas will attend the national executive meeting physically whereas others, especially those from the southern states, north-east states, Maharashtra or from other parts of India will attend the event virtually."
This apart, the Cabinet ministers and core members will be present in the national Capital. Two resolutions are being passed during the two-day session — political and economic.
A party source added that the political resolution will be more focused on the upcoming Assembly elections in the five states, especially in Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, whereas the economic resolution will highlight government schemes during the pandemic crisis, health and government's recent achievement regarding the vaccination drive.
Sources further added that a new resolution will also be passed in the wake of the farmers' protest against the Centre's three new farm laws.
BJP may come up with further plans on the ongoing agitation, adding a political plan and a resolution on agriculture can be passed during the meeting. Recently, the Bharatiya Janata Party Kisan Morcha held its national executive meeting in Delhi in the last week.
Experts feel that the meeting further holds significance after the Lakhimpur Kheri violence on October 3 in which eight people, including four farmers' protesting against the three new farm laws, died.
However, the venue is yet to be finalised. Last month, BJP president JP Nadda had announced that the 80-member National Executive will include names of its top brass, ranging from the Prime Minister to many Union ministers, several state leaders and veterans like LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. At the same time, leaving many surprised, they also dropped many high-profile names — BJP MP Varun Gandhi, former Union minister and his MP mother Maneka Gandhi, and also former Union minister Birender Singh.
Besides those 80 who are regular members, 50 are special invitees and 179 are permanent invitees. The Executive is a key deliberative body of the saffron party that meets to discuss important issues facing the government and shapes the organisation's agenda. The last national executive meeting was organised in 2019 at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi.
New ministers are also being inducted this time, including Ashwini Vaishnaw. Moreover, former Union ministers like Harsh Vardhan, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Prakash Javadekar also remain members of the National Executive, who were dropped from Cabinet posts in the recent reshuffle.
