The BJP has decided to depute 182 leaders to as many Assembly constituencies of Gujarat in order to reach out to the grassroots workers and its supporters. These leaders include all the sitting and former MPs and MLAs and other senior leaders. Each leader will have to tour one constituency for three days and meet senior party workers, social activists, retired leaders and other workers. Though the BJP has been in the election mode for more than six months, its leadership feels that grassroots workers, well wishers, old party workers need to be activated to achieve the set target of winning over 150 seats. The elections to the 182-member Assembly will be held at the end of the year.
"The idea is to activate party workers, when senior leaders from the state visit workers, it encourages them, if any worker is dissatisfied and inactive, one to one meeting helps resolve issues. All are back to work. When local workers or leaders are assured that the state leader is unbiased, they share views and opinions honestly," said Mahesh Kaswala, senior party leader. Kaswala will be visiting Rajula constituency for three days this week. During the visit, he will discuss pending developments work, which work should be prioritised, which needs urgent attention. He said that when state leaders visit local workers, they are more open and share views and opinions frankly which helps the party to assess the ground situation.
For the last two days, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP from Mehsana, Jugalsinh Lokhandwala has been travelling in Anjar constituency of Kutch district. He met members of Agriculture Produce Cooperative Market, leaders from various communities and social leaders. He was accompanied by only two local party leaders for guidance. He also visited local workers at their residences. "This has given a morale boost to them," said Lokhandwala. "When we visit local workers, we take lunch, or tea and snacks at their house, and if it is convenient to them, we stay at their house overnight. This bridges the gap, relationships are strengthened, personal touch will help in the long run for the party," said Lokhandwala.
Surat North's BJP MLA Kantibhai Ballar is in Ahmedabad city. He is meeting ward committee members and the local corporators since the last two days in the Ghatlodia constituency. This is Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's constituency, and in 2012 Anandiben Patel represented this constituency. "When such a task is assigned by the party, leaders are not selected on caste lines. It is only to get feedback from ground zero. As a leader we also get new experiences and get new things to know and learn. The reason for sending leaders to different districts or regions is that the workers and local leaders discuss issues without any reservation," unfold Ballar.
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