BJP tries to show strength through numbers at meet

New Delhi: Two days before Delhi BJP is to kick off its civic poll campaign with a booth-level workers’ meet at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, confusion prevails over the expected turnout of party workers.

To strengthen the party organisational structure ahead of the municipal polls, the Delhi BJP has decided to appoint five workers, including a woman, at each booth who will be called “panch parmeshwar.”

There are 13,372 booths in the three corporations. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said that over 65,000 workers will be attending the meeting in which BJP president Amit Shah and Union urban development minister M. Venkaiah Naidu will talk about booth management, which is the key to any electoral success. “13,372 booths multiplied by five workers each, a total 66,615 workers will be attending the meet,” added Mr Tiwari.

But party sources said that in the monthly meeting of BJP, the national general secretary (organisation), Ram Lal, asked party workers to ensure maximum turnout at the Ramlila Maidan. Delhi BJP vice-president Abhay Verma told this newspaper that the organisation is working to bring 10 workers from each booth in the meet. “We are expecting a turnout of around one lakh workers at Ramlila Maidan.

As everyone knows that one lakh people cannot be accommodated at the venue, it is natural that a large number of workers will hear Mr Shah from outside,” added Mr Verma, who is also the in-charge of preparations in the South Delhi parliamentary constituency.  The party is is working overtime on the direction of Mr Lal to make it an event to showcase its strength and thus kickstart the civic polls campaign.

Another leader said that the confusion may lead to a flop show similar to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally on January 10, 2015, kick starting the Delhi Assembly polls in which the party won three seats out of 70.