Mumbai: The Maharashtra BJP has appointed ‘Jilha Sampark Mantri’ to districts where the post of guardian minister has gone to either of its Mahayuti partners. While the party states that the appointment is purely for the organizational purpose and that the ministers are expected to liaison between the state government and the local party organization, BJP allies are sceptical about the development, especially when the discord between the NCP and the Shiv Sena over appointment of guardian ministers still continues.
State BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule made the announcement in this regard on Tuesday evening while addressing the meeting of party MP, MLAs and district heads here in Mumbai. The meeting was called primarily to review the progress on the primary membership front and encourage the party middle order to achieve the target of 1.5 crore members.
While addressing the meeting, Bawankule said that the appointment of ministers is primarily to act as a liaison between the local party units and the state government. With such a liaison, the party leadership hopes to contain discontent within the grass root party workers. Such a discontent among grass root workers of BJP and that of various likeminded organizations of the RSS family had adversely affected the BJP during 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. On that backdrop, the party has devised this new system.
However, the effort, which BJP emphasises as a purely organizational exercise, is being seen by its allies as an effort to indirectly pressurise the guardian ministers of the allies. The allies feel that with these appointments the BJP wants to keep the NCP and the Shiv Sena under cheque.
The BJP states that the Sampark ministers are expected to keep in touch with the grass root workers of the party and ensure that none of their issues related to the state government or even the local administration remain unattended. This clearly arises out of the fear that the guardian ministers belonging to the alliance partners won’t do justice to the grass root BJP workers.
While explaining the ‘Sampark Mantri’ concept further, Bawankule said that the ministers shall go to the respective districts allocated to them twice a month and shall address the issues of common people.
Bawankule also said that the immediate task entrusted with these ministers is about boost thing the membership drive. The party has been able to registers about 98 lakh voters across the state till now. It had registered just over one crore voters last time and wants to break its own record by registering around 50 lakh more voters over next fortnight so that the whole tally reaches to about 1.5 crore.
The party also recognized district heads and other party workers who have been able to register more number of voters. “We have devised a special app for membership and one worker can register only 1000 new members. This avoids scope for any fake registrations,” he added.
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