NEW DELHI: BJP chief Amit Shah will directly monitor the preparations for upcoming assembly elections in the city. Delhi BJP will form a 100-member team to oversee preparations at the grassroots. A workshop will be held on November 18 where Shah will interact with the team members and explain them about the work to be done. BJP, which has been out of power in Delhi for nearly 16 years, is utilizing all its resources to ensure the party's victory in the polls.

Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay and state in-charge Prabhat Jha have been asked to finalize the 100-member team within the next few days. This time, the party has intensified its activities in areas, which are not its strongholds. "The BJP chief will hold a workshop for the team that will monitor election preparations at the booth-level. There are 2,700 polling stations in Delhi and each member will be given charge of 27 booths. From voter registration, membership drive to execution of election campaign, the team will take care of every aspect of election preparations. The team will also submit weekly progress reports that will be sent to Shah,'' said a senior BJP member.

In a meeting on Friday morning, Upadhyay directed all office-bearers to intensify the membership drive in their respective areas. At present, Upadhyay and Jha are holding parliamentary constituency-level meetings. The party is planning a large meeting of party workers in the next few days.

Sources say senior BJP leaders, Union ministers and all members of Parliament will campaign in the city starting from December 1. "This time, we will intensify the campaign at the grass-root level. Our workers are physically meeting voters and checking whether their name is there in the list or not. All MPs will hold meetings at mandal and district level. BJP chief will personally monitor the election campaign as winning Delhi elections is very important for the party," said a senior BJP functionary.

According to senior members, BJP's defeat in the strongholds such as Shalimar Bagh, Model Town, Shakur Basti etc in 2013 assembly polls had cost the party dearly as it couldn't form the government in the state. "We couldn't form the government as we were short of four seats. We lost some of our strongholds, but this time we have set our target at 60,'' said Upadhyay.

The party has set Mission 60-plus as its target for the upcoming assembly elections. BJP leaders say the party had got a lead on 60 seats during the Lok Sabha elections. It regained most of the assembly constituencies in Lok Sabha polls, which it had lost during assembly polls. "Now, we want to maintain that lead. With Amit Shah directly monitoring the campaign, the party is likely to cross the 60-mark,'' said another BJP functionary.

