BJP gets image conscious

NEW DELHI, SEPT 14: Fighting rearguard action, the BJP has practically launched its campaign for the November Assembly elections in Delhi...

NEW DELHI, SEPT 14: Fighting rearguard action, the BJP has practically launched its campaign for the November Assembly elections in Delhi with party bosses finalising several steps to improve the image of the government. Indirectly warning party MLAs to pull up their socks, leaders said that sitting MLAs would not necessarily be renominated; winnability and commitment to the party would be the criteria.

A top-level meeting last night at the Prime Minister8217;s residence also reviewed the functioning of the Vajpayee Government vis-a-vis the National Agenda for Governance NAG and discussed steps to improve interaction between the party and the government. Leaders said that it was necessary to make the on-going campaign to highlight the government8217;s achievements more effective. BJP President Kushabhau Thakre chaired the meeting at which most BJP ministers were present.

While there was overall satisfaction on the implementation of the NAG, it was felt that now that the government was stable, more focus shouldbe given to vigorously putting the NAG into effect.

The BJP is also putting into effect the recommendations of the task force set up to improve coordination between the party and the government. At yesterday8217;s meeting, BJP ministers were asked to spare time to attend the party office and provide their official tour programmes to the party headquarters as well as to district units so that they could interact with cadres in different parts of the country.

BJP general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu said today that it had been decided that a coordination mechanism should be set up between the party and the government both at the Centre and in states where the BJP is in power. Meetings like last night8217;s are to be held more often in order to increase coordination between the government and party.

It was also suggested that every BJP minister should have one person who would liaise with the party and that ministers should spare some time on a regular basis to attend the party office. Information and BroadcastingMinister Sushma Swaraj has already begun this practice.

Thakre will also meet the ministers regularly. The BJP is also setting up subject-wise and profession-wise cells which ministers would be expected to brief. Last week, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha and Vajpayee8217;s Principal Secretary Brijesh Mishra came to 11, Ashoka Road to brief the party8217;s economic and foreign affairs cells respectively.

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The BJP is publishing booklets of talking points on the government8217;s achievements and a brochure on the Opposition8217;s 8220;disinformation campaign8221;. In Delhi, the attempt will be to contrast 40 years of Congress 8220;misrule8221; with the five-year rule of the Delhi BJP government and five months of the Vajpayee Government.