Narendra Modi-baiter,Sanjay Joshi back in UP with a bang

Joshi reached Lucknow on Sunday to attend a conference organised by Jagruk Matdata Manch,an organisation run by activists of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Joshi was the chief guest while senior BJP leader and Lucknow MP Lalji Tandon was invited to preside over the event. BJP state president Laxmikant Bajpai was the main speaker. However,Bajpai could not attend as he was in Meerut.

While the BJP state unit kept silent over Joshi’s visit,he was welcomed by around 400 party workers at Charbagh railway station. From there,he went to the residence of Tandon. He had lunch at the residence of another party leader before visiting the residence of BJP state general secretary Vidhyawasini Kumar to express grief over the demise of his sister-in-law.

Conference organiser and BJP Majdoor Sangh state general secretary K K Shukla said Joshi will be in Rae Bareli on Monday to attend a similar programme organised by the Manch.

Joshi visited Kanpur last week to meet the party workers who sustained injuries during a police lathicharge while trying to stage a dharna outside the residence of Union Coal Minister Sriparakash Jaiswal last Sunday. Sources said Joshi had received a warm welcome by workers in Kanpur also. He also visited Aligarh where he attended an ABVP function.

Last May,Joshi was kept away from the BJP national executive allegedly under the pressure of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. A fortnight after that,the party had also dissociated him from UP. Later hoardings in Joshi’s support had surfaced in Gujarat,Delhi,Madhya Pradesh and Lucknow.

Eye on 2014,BJP plans toll-free helpline to connect with masses

Gearing up for the next Lok Sabha election,the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is staring a toll-free number to connect with the masses.

Any person from across the state can dial the number and narrate his grievance to an executive at the call centre at the BJP headquarters in Lucknow. Party leaders will follow up on the complaint and try to redress the grievance.

Sources said the same toll-free number will be used by party workers to stay in touch the state headquarters and get information about decisions and directives during the Lok Sabha election.

The decision was taken during a recent meeting of the organisation leaders in Lucknow. BJP state president Laxmikant Bajpai said,“The call centre with a toll-free number will be operational within a month.”

Bajpai added that the number will be a medium to get connected with people across the state. If a person is in trouble or is being harassed by police,government officers or a muscleman,he can approach the BJP through the number. The party headquarters will transfer the details to office-bearers in the district concerned,who will pursue the matter with the local administration. If the administration does not help,party leaders will stage a demonstration.

Workers will have to inform the state headquarters about the steps taken on any complaint from their area. A complete database of the complaints and action taken will be prepared and updated every day at the headquarters. The party state president will monitor the progress on every complaint received.

“People can use the toll-free number to take the help of BJP in their personal problems as well as to inform the party about any major incident,including a natural calamity,happening in their area that needs urgent action,” said a leader.

Sources said that the toll-free number is being started at least a year before the Lok Sabha election so that workers in the districts become familiar with it. During elections,the number will used for receiving problems of the workers in constituencies and giving guidance to them. Workers will also have the responsibility to popularise the toll-free number.