Unable to fill party posts,BJP on manhunt again

Active members are those who have been primary members of the party for at least five years and inducted 25 new members each at every membership drive.

After the five-month membership drive ended in December,the party was to update its list of active members too.

But even with the updation,the figures are falling far short of requirement.

Reason: While those who put in five years in the party failed to become active members as they did not induct enough new members,the new rules formulated at the Indore convention of the party did not help. Not only was the number of active members required for each zone increased,it also ratcheted up the number of seats for executives and office bearers on zonal,district and state levels (see box).

According to party leaders,the latest membership drive was one of the biggest such campaigns undertaken lately. Around 2.5 lakh primary members were inducted and it was expected that there will be around 150 active members in each district.

But now,districts like Agra,Hathras,Moradabad and Baghpat are complaining that they do not have enough active members to man district and zonal bodies.

A district office bearer of Hathras said: “The minimum number required to fill up zonal posts is 40 members. This would mean at least 150 active members in each district. But we have only 20 or less.”

Another leader from Agra district voiced similar concerns. “Agra is one of the most important districts. Apart from being divided into 50 zones,it is also the centre for Western Uttar Pradesh. But here too,we have around 20 to 25 active members in each zone.”

Party sources say the lack of active members may cast its shadow on the state elections.

“This time,the verification was tough and many primary members were found to exist only on paper,” said a senior leader. “Worse,the active members have not shown much inclination in increasing primary membership.”

If zonal and district level elections are not completed,it will delay the party’s statewide elections.

The party has now decided that it will focus on increasing the ranks of active members for the next one month to ensure that the state elections are over by April-end.

General secretary and in-charge of the membership campaign,Mahendra Singh,said: “The Indore convention has increased the size of the executive committees. The active membership is still on and now,we are including more members.”