Membership drives by BJP–Cong–AGP

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, January 25: With only a year away to the 2016 Assembly elections, political parties like the BJP, the Congress and the AGP are carrying out intensive membership drives across the state.

As part of its poll strategy, the BJP is presently conducting a huge membership drive throughout the state. Already 16 lakh people have joined the party as members within just two months, the highest in the country.

State BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharjee said, “We will continue our membership drive till March 31 and our target is 25 lakh members,” adding, “Given the tremendous response, we will be able to enrol more than 25 lakh members.”

The ruling Congress party has also started its membership drive across the state with an eye to the Assembly elections. Anjan Dutta, the newly elected president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), said, “Our party is conducting the membership drive in a transparent manner. We are distributing membership forms among interested people but the BJP is enrolling members through SMSes.”

Dutta said that the party will conduct the membership drive till February 28. “Our target is 30 lakh members,” he added. On the other hand, the AGP in a desperate bid to revive its political fortunes, has also decided not to lag behind. Its membership drive from January 20 will continue for a month.  Party president Atul Bora said, “Our target is 25 lakh members. Both Congress and BJP do not give importance to regiol sentiments, which we are determined to focus upon.”