With the membership drive not as successful as planned, PM Modi asking for a report on the drive has caused chaos in Gujarat BJP.

To accelerate the membership campaign, the BJP was compelled to organise social gatherings during Navratri. It was decided in a meeting at Kamalam that on October 13 the Chief Minister, ministers, MLAs, MPs, and other BJP office bearers will visit neighbourhoods and housing societies to register the members.

The state president had publicly criticised the lack of visible efforts, stating, “Not a single photo of an MLA registering members has been seen yet.” On October 8, a social gathering was called at Kamalam for MLAs and MPs.

The meeting was convened due to the inactive membership campaign, and the state president emphasised the need for leaders to engage directly with the public rather than relying solely on their workers.

Interestingly, the BJP’s membership drive has struggled not only in Congress-dominated areas but also in its strongholds. According to the BJP’s own report, several constituencies have reported very low membership numbers. 

Instructions have been given to increase membership in weaker constituencies, and the campaign period has been extended. 

Currently, a collective membership drive is being organised, where leaders from the Chief Minister to cabinet members, MLAs, and MPs will visit neighbourhoods and societies to register members.

BJP has faced severs issued in Gujarat to register members in its drives and have also forced citizens to register as members. In series of instances one of had asked citizens to register 100 members and take ₹500. And also BJP officials had asked a man at ration shop for his phone and had registered his name under the membership without his consent. And at a hospital in visnagar the patient was asked for otp before getting the injection asking it was necessary for the injection and then registered him unwillingly as the BJP member.

The BJP’s membership drive in Gujarat has faced many controversies and challenges. With instances such as a man at a ration shop being registered as a BJP member without his knowledge.

Additionally, in Bhavnagar, local BJP leaders allegedly offered ₹500 to individuals who would enrol 100 new members. 

Another troubling incident occurred at a hospital in Visnagar, where a patient was asked to provide an OTP under the pretext that it was necessary for receiving an injection, only to find out later that the OTP was used to register him as a BJP member without his consent. 

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BJP membership drive stumbles amid growing external and internal discontent