With eyes set on Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, BJP is fiercely preparing leaving no stone unturned. The party is heavily engaged in a bid to raise above 70 lakh party office-bearers team across the state, to ensure that a record wins can be registered in the upcoming elections. From the polling booth to the state-level, a strong organisation is being formed. To make the plan to reach out to the grassroots work, the number of members in the booth’s executive committee has been increased from 11 to 21.

During the membership campaign, the BJP had made 87 lakh members through missed calls. Now, the party is targeting one crore members to expand the organisation as the aim is to reach at the micro level, giving a post to the workers. The BJP has set up Mission-180 for the Assembly elections 2018 and Mission 25 for the Lok Sabha elections-2019. The rationale behind the strategy is that when the worker is entrusted with responsibilty and given a post, he works with greater passion. Moreover, BJP has changed organisational structure to add more workers expanding the party’s reach to the masses. Also, the conception of booth executive was implemented by dismantling the ward unit. In addition, the mandals and districts were reduced to size and instead new districts and mandals were formed.

BJP currently has 41 districts and 1046 mandals. Earlier, the executive was made at the ward level, but now the executive is formed at the booth level. Adding to this, the workers are given positions in the organization. Similarly, the number of mandals has also been increased by almost four times and new workers are being given positions in the newly created mandals.

EVOLUTION

The BJP's origins lie in the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, formed in 1951 by Syama Prasad Mookerjee. After the State of Emergency in 1977, the Jana Sangh merged with several other parties to form the Janata Party; it defeated the incumbent Congress party in the 1977 general election.

STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

After three years in power, the Janata party dissolved in 1980 with the members of the erstwhile Jana Sangh reconvening to form the BJP. Although initially unsuccessful, winning only two seats in the 1984 general election, it grew in strength on the back of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Following victories, the BJP became the largest party in the parliament in 1996.

VAJPAYEE, MODI DOMINANCE

After the 1998 general election, the BJP-led coalition known as the NDA formed a government under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for a year. Following fresh elections, the NDA government, again headed by Vajpayee, lasted for a full term in office.