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    BJP activates cadre to deal with coronavirus lockdown challenges

    Synopsis

    Before the Covid-19 outbreak, the party had used its cadre from the booth committee level up to propagate its views on issues such as abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the Ram temple at Ayodhya and the amendment to the Citizenship Act.

    JP-nadda-agenciesAgencies
    BJP chief JP Nadda has been holding videoconferences with the party’s office-bearers and spokespersons, and connecting with state and district units on a daily basis to deal with the crisis.
    New Delhi: The BJP has deployed its large cadre across the country to help in distributing food and providing shelter to migrants as well as to get feedback from the ground on the problems being faced by people and gauge their pulse on the government’s decisions in the past few days.

    Before the Covid-19 outbreak, the party had used its cadre from the booth committee level up to propagate its views on issues such as abrogation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the Ram temple at Ayodhya and the amendment to the Citizenship Act. At the end of each Parliament session or whenever a big decision is taken by the Narendra Modi government, all party MPs and office-bearers are given the task of spreading the message to the people.

    The unprecedented situation arising due to the pandemic has altered the party’s focus. BJP chief JP Nadda has been holding videoconferences with the party’s office-bearers and spokespersons, and connecting with state and district units on a daily basis to deal with the crisis. The party claims to have around 180 million members across the country.

    “These meetings also serve as an important forum for getting feedback on the problems being faced, the steps being taken as well as the views of the people,” said a senior BJP office-bearer. “That is why no such interaction between the central leaders and the district or state unit involves more than 50 people. This is to ensure people get an opportunity to speak up and share their views.”

    Apart from Nadda, general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh, the central office-bearer in charge of the state concerned as well as the district presidents of the party from that state participate in these meetings. To encourage greater participation, the party gave a call to the cadre to donate a small amount of Rs 100 each but get more people to contribute to the PM-Cares Fund.

    “In these meetings, state specific requirements are also looked into. For example, in Gujarat, the rations being given to the poor are mainly the ingredients for making khichdi, in Himachal Pradesh it is maize while in the South the members involved distribute more rice,” said the BJP’s IT Cell head Amit Malviya.

    In most places, local office-bearers are helping in getting curfew passes made for those facing emergencies and ensuring they have access to medicines and food. In states where BJP is in power, the cadre has been coordinating with the administration on feedback and seeking help for the needy.


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