'10 workers for every booth...': Amit Shah readies BJP's election machine for Maharashtra
On his third visit to Maharashtra in two weeks, Shah, the BJP's master strategist, held a meeting with BJP MLAs and select party workers in Dadar.
- Oct 2, 2024,
- Updated Oct 2, 2024 1:44 PM IST
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has urged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers in Maharashtra to set aside internal differences and focus on the upcoming assembly elections. Speaking at a party gathering in Mumbai on Tuesday, Shah emphasised the importance of unity, saying, "An organisation where workers function in different directions never succeeds." Shah advised the party to resolve disputes within its ranks ahead of the crucial elections, expected in November, sources told the news agency PTI.
On his third visit to Maharashtra in two weeks, Shah, the BJP's master strategist, held a meeting with BJP MLAs and select party workers in Dadar. Among those present were Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and the party’s Mumbai unit head Ashish Shelar. Shah used the platform to push for unity within the party and urged workers to bridge any internal divisions. "There are differences of opinion even in a family. If there is disappointment about an MLA or Member of Parliament, an amicable solution should be found so that voters remain with the party," he was quoted as saying.
Shah also outlined the party’s election strategy, calling for the appointment of 10 workers for every polling booth in the state. "These workers should remain active within the booth jurisdiction from Dussehra (October 12) until the last day of the campaign," he said. Shah stressed that the BJP’s victory would hinge on its ability to address internal issues and maintain a united front. "We need to address these differences before the elections. The state BJP unit will draw up a plan ahead of the polls. Party workers should reach out up to the ward level, and it will ensure our victory," he said.
In addition to resolving internal conflicts, Shah directed the Maharashtra BJP to launch a 'Ghar Chalo Abhiyan,' a door-to-door campaign to reach every household in the state. According to Bawankule, the campaign will focus on spreading awareness of the government's development initiatives.
Shah, known as BJP's Chanakya, also highlighted the need to strengthen the party’s booth-level network, saying, "A loyal party worker is one who takes up critical tasks and completes them." He encouraged workers to add 20 new voters in every booth but advised against seeking votes when recruiting new members. "Do not ask new members to vote for the BJP when registering. Once they become members, they will realise the importance of voting," Shah said.
The BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, which also includes the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Shah's visit is part of the party's broader strategy to prepare for the elections, following a series of similar meetings across Vidarbha, North Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Western Maharashtra in recent weeks.
In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP contested 164 seats and won 105, forming a pre-poll alliance with the then undivided Shiv Sena. However, the party struggled in the 2024 general elections, winning just nine of the 28 Lok Sabha seats it contested in the state. Shah’s recent visits and strategic directives are aimed at revitalizing the party’s election machinery ahead of the assembly polls.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has urged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers in Maharashtra to set aside internal differences and focus on the upcoming assembly elections. Speaking at a party gathering in Mumbai on Tuesday, Shah emphasised the importance of unity, saying, "An organisation where workers function in different directions never succeeds." Shah advised the party to resolve disputes within its ranks ahead of the crucial elections, expected in November, sources told the news agency PTI.
On his third visit to Maharashtra in two weeks, Shah, the BJP's master strategist, held a meeting with BJP MLAs and select party workers in Dadar. Among those present were Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and the party’s Mumbai unit head Ashish Shelar. Shah used the platform to push for unity within the party and urged workers to bridge any internal divisions. "There are differences of opinion even in a family. If there is disappointment about an MLA or Member of Parliament, an amicable solution should be found so that voters remain with the party," he was quoted as saying.
Shah also outlined the party’s election strategy, calling for the appointment of 10 workers for every polling booth in the state. "These workers should remain active within the booth jurisdiction from Dussehra (October 12) until the last day of the campaign," he said. Shah stressed that the BJP’s victory would hinge on its ability to address internal issues and maintain a united front. "We need to address these differences before the elections. The state BJP unit will draw up a plan ahead of the polls. Party workers should reach out up to the ward level, and it will ensure our victory," he said.
In addition to resolving internal conflicts, Shah directed the Maharashtra BJP to launch a 'Ghar Chalo Abhiyan,' a door-to-door campaign to reach every household in the state. According to Bawankule, the campaign will focus on spreading awareness of the government's development initiatives.
Shah, known as BJP's Chanakya, also highlighted the need to strengthen the party’s booth-level network, saying, "A loyal party worker is one who takes up critical tasks and completes them." He encouraged workers to add 20 new voters in every booth but advised against seeking votes when recruiting new members. "Do not ask new members to vote for the BJP when registering. Once they become members, they will realise the importance of voting," Shah said.
The BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, which also includes the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Shah's visit is part of the party's broader strategy to prepare for the elections, following a series of similar meetings across Vidarbha, North Maharashtra, Marathwada, and Western Maharashtra in recent weeks.
In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP contested 164 seats and won 105, forming a pre-poll alliance with the then undivided Shiv Sena. However, the party struggled in the 2024 general elections, winning just nine of the 28 Lok Sabha seats it contested in the state. Shah’s recent visits and strategic directives are aimed at revitalizing the party’s election machinery ahead of the assembly polls.