State BJP struggles to meet membership target, central leaders extend deadline

Kolkata: The central BJP leadership extended the deadline for completing the one crore membership drive to December 31, however, the state BJP appears far from reaching the target.

After its “miserable” electoral performances in Bengal in recent times, the state BJP was in a desperate bid to achieve the target of fulfilling a 1 crore membership drive across Bengal. Sources said that so far around 26 lakh memberships have so far been collected.

With ten days to go before December ends, it is almost an impossible task for the state BJP to meet the target set by its Central leaders, felt analysts.

A membership drive workshop was held in Salt Lake on Thursday, where a Central observer of the party reprimanded the state BJP leaders.

The BJP’s central leadership had recently directed the “inactive” legislators to intensify the membership drive in their respective areas and also increase their support base through better coordination with the people.

The BJP MLAs in the state were also asked to spend more time in their respective constituencies. Even places in north Bengal considered a stronghold of the BJP turned out to be a major embarrassment for the party.