‘Pull your socks for assembly polls’

In the morning, BJP stalwarts reached 7, RCR, the official residence of Modi, where they were welcomed and congratulated by the PM for their outstanding work in ensuring outstanding Lok Sabha poll results.

It was learnt that he has asked the party leaders to prepare for the assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana as well as in Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar, which is scheduled in 2015.

‘It was party’s official meeting and the thrust was on in increasing party’s strength in those states, where it has not done well for several years. Some of the states were Modiji has asked to strengthen our base are North-East, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Tripura,’ a party insider said.

‘It was categorically instructed to all of us to with the poor and needy people. We were asked not to be complacent with the clear mandate and should always respect people and their demand. The meeting was an attempt to ensure the organisational strength of the BJP,’ he said.

On the context of who will be the next BJP chief, he said, ‘There was a discussion on the issue but we have failed to finalise the name. Probably the announcement will be made soon.’

On Sunday evening, Modi was scheduled to visit the party headquarters at Ashok Road where he will meet other workers and leaders to finalise the name of the next party president. There will also be an effort to ease out resentment among some leaders for not given the cabinet posts.

Soon after the meeting, Varun Gandhi who was also present in the meeting, has tweeted, ‘Inspired by motivational message from Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji, at a meeting with party GS, to serve party and nation with renewed vigour.’

Others who were present in the meeting are BJP president Rajnath Singh, general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Amit Shah, Ananth Kumar, Dharmendra Pradhan, Thawarchand Gehlot, JP Nadda, Tapir Gao and Murlidhar Rao.

Meanwhile, the party inside said that the BJP will see a major revamp in the coming days, as its president Rajnath Singh, three vice presidents Jual Oram, Uma Bharti and Smriti Irani and three general secretaries Ananth Kumar, Thawarchand Gehlot and Dharmendra Pradhan have become ministers in the government.

Besides, party treasurer Piyush Goel and two spokespersons Prakash Javadekar and Nirmala Sitharaman have joined the government.

The BJP is also likely to see a new president in the coming days with Shah, along with general secretary JP Nadda and BJP’s Gujarat unit in-charge Om Prakash Mathur in the race for the post.

BJP will also see new faces in the party as it does not want to weaken the organisation ahead of crucial assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana later this year and Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand early next year.