Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked the BJP’s Rajya Sabha MPs to work for the party’s expansion in areas where it needs to strengthen its hold, apart from the state they represent in Parliament. The PM’s advice came hours after party chief Amit Shah asked them to adopt a Lok Sabha seat that the party lost in the last polls.
“The PM said that apart from the state which has elected the MPs, they must also be involved in the expansion of the party (in areas) where it is weak. The PM said they should raise the issues of the state which they represent, and ensure that the poor and deprived from that state feel connected with the party,” said Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Modi’s advice came at a meeting attended by the party’s 52 Rajya Sabha MPs.
Prasad, who briefed the media on the almost five-hour-long meeting, said Modi reminded the MPs that the party had given them “a platform and distinct identity” by bringing them to the Rajya Sabha. “Therefore, you must bring people of new areas into the party. MPs should show active participation and constructive role in debates, study well, and talk about the government’s achievements,” he quoted Modi as saying.
Modi is reported to have pointed out that the BJP has sent many young party workers to the Upper House. “They are expected to work with new vigour and energy both inside and outside parliament,” Prasad said. Modi also stressed the importance of being active on social media. A special session on social media and its reach was held.
Shah also addressed the meeting earlier in the day. “He asked the Rajya Sabha members to adopt one Lok Sabha constituency each, which the party lost in 2014, and nurse it as if they are the Lok Sabha members from there. It will help the party win in that area. He asked them to spend their MPLAD funds there and work on expanding the organisation,” said Minister Prakash Javadekar. “He said Rajya Sabha members should also work to spread the party’s base and ideology,” he said.
Javadekar said the party’s Rajya Sabha members, including ministers Arun Jaitley, M Venkaiah Naidu, Manohar Parrikar and Javedekar himself, would adopt a constituency in the state they represent in the House. Today’s meeting follows two major interactions which Shah and Modi held with the party’s chief ministers and state leaders, where they asked them to work overtime.
“The PM said that apart from the state which has elected the MPs, they must also be involved in the expansion of the party (in areas) where it is weak. The PM said they should raise the issues of the state which they represent, and ensure that the poor and deprived from that state feel connected with the party,” said Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Modi’s advice came at a meeting attended by the party’s 52 Rajya Sabha MPs.
Prasad, who briefed the media on the almost five-hour-long meeting, said Modi reminded the MPs that the party had given them “a platform and distinct identity” by bringing them to the Rajya Sabha. “Therefore, you must bring people of new areas into the party. MPs should show active participation and constructive role in debates, study well, and talk about the government’s achievements,” he quoted Modi as saying.
Modi is reported to have pointed out that the BJP has sent many young party workers to the Upper House. “They are expected to work with new vigour and energy both inside and outside parliament,” Prasad said. Modi also stressed the importance of being active on social media. A special session on social media and its reach was held.
Shah also addressed the meeting earlier in the day. “He asked the Rajya Sabha members to adopt one Lok Sabha constituency each, which the party lost in 2014, and nurse it as if they are the Lok Sabha members from there. It will help the party win in that area. He asked them to spend their MPLAD funds there and work on expanding the organisation,” said Minister Prakash Javadekar. “He said Rajya Sabha members should also work to spread the party’s base and ideology,” he said.
Javadekar said the party’s Rajya Sabha members, including ministers Arun Jaitley, M Venkaiah Naidu, Manohar Parrikar and Javedekar himself, would adopt a constituency in the state they represent in the House. Today’s meeting follows two major interactions which Shah and Modi held with the party’s chief ministers and state leaders, where they asked them to work overtime.