Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The local BJP leaders, since the results of the Legislative Assembly elections, have been advocating for contesting independently ("Swabal" slogan) in the upcoming municipal corporation and zilla parishad elections. However, a final decision on contesting independently will be made only after the party achieves its target for membership registration, which was undertaken following the state convention.
It appears that the membership registration drive is not gaining momentum in constituencies where Shinde Sena has sitting MLAs. However, registration is progressing fairly well in the East, Gangapur, and Phulambri constituencies. On the other hand, the party will have to put in extra effort in Paithan, Sillod, Vaijapur, Kannad, Aurangabad Central, and West constituencies.
The party's state working president, Ravindra Chavan, reviewed the membership registration campaign with 60 selected key office bearers from Marathwada on Monday. He conducted an intellectual session with office bearers throughout the day at Station Road.
He held discussions with 28 former corporators of municipal corporation and 20 former zilla parishad members from the city, as well as current municipal corporation and zilla parishad members from the district.
If the elections are to be contested independently, the district has a target of 5.5 lakh registrations, out of which 2.56 lakh have been completed so far.
In the presence of Chavan, office bearers from the Thackeray faction joined the BJP. On this occasion, OBC Welfare Minister Atul Save, State General Secretary Sanjay Kenekar, District Chiefs (Rural) Sanjay Khambayate, and Suhas Shirsat were also present.
Will contest independently
The city president Shirish Boralkar said,"We have already given the call to contest the municipal corporation and zilla parishad elections independently."
Registration in Mission Mode
Kenekar said, "The membership registration campaign is underway in 'mission mode,' and as per the instructions of the state working president, the registration numbers will increase."
Registration ongoing in rural areas
Khambayate said,"In rural constituencies, 50% of the membership registration work has been completed in Kannad, Gangapur, and Vaijapur, while the remaining 50% will be completed in the next phase."
Efforts to increase registration
"In all three constituencies under my responsibility, efforts are underway to achieve the membership registration target. So far, 76,177 members have been registered’" said Shirsat.
Target of 64,000 registrations per assembly constituency
Membership registration in BJP MLAs' constituencies
Aurangabad (East) - 42,000
Phulambri - 36,000
Gangapur - 40,000
Membership registration in Shinde Sena MLAs' constituencies
Aurangabad (Central) - 23,000
Aurangabad (West) - 21,000
Kannad - 30,000
Vaijapur - 24,000
Sillod - 24,000
Paithan - 15,000