New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah will commence a 15-day “Vistaar Yatra” (party expansion tour) from Tuesday from Naxalbari in West Bengal, the party announced on Monday.
Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters here, Union Minister Smriti Irani said that Shah would commence his yatra from Naxalbari booth number 93, and would touch base with party workers, people from all sections of society, panchayat representatives and the local intelligentsia.
“Our party President is of the opinion that when we do any organisational work and put forth our expectation of workers, it is incumbent upon the leadership to lead by example,” Irani said.
Apart from Bengal, Shah will cover the states of Odisha, Telangana, Gujarat and Lakshadweep during his 15-day tour.
She said that 3.68 lakh BJP workers across the country had volunteered to take part in the “Deen Dayal Vistaar Yojana” for 15 days, “leaving all your political and personal obligations behind and dedicate full time to organisational activities and expansion”.
“Our party chief is carrying the Prime Minister’s message of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ and the message of ‘garib kalyan’ (welfare of poor) to a booth historically known to ask through violence uprooting of the Indian state and Constitution,” Irani said.
On the reason for choosing Bengal to commence the expansion tour, Irani said that in Bengal, the “BJP workers are facing violence and hardship and he (Shah) wants to stand up with them”.
She said that besides Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu were the other areas of focus for the party’s expansion.
Taking a dig at the Congress, Irani said on the one hand there is a party “going through a crisis whose workers are looking out for its leader, while on the other hand, there is a party (BJP) which is winning election after election but not relying on its past glories and paving its way for future”.
“And to pave the way for future, our party President is connecting with the party workers at the booth level to expand the party’s base,” she said.
–IANS