Shillong, July 6 : The Meghalaya unit of the BJP has begun an extensive membership drive at the grassroots level to strengthen its organisation base in the state as the party is concerned over the move of its lone legislator A.L. Hek to join the Congress.
Though the party denies that the membership drive is because of Hek’s sudden decision to join the Congress, the fact is that once the BJP leader officially joins the Congress, many of his followers from his Pynthorumkhrah constituency will leave the party along with him.
This may also have an impact in other constituencies where the BJP has its presence.
A BJP leader today said Hek leaving the party would not have any negative impact, as it is a cadre-based body and not based on personalities.
He also said Hek was yet to send any official communication to the party stating he was leaving.
Hek had contested and won three times since 1998 on a BJP ticket from Pynthorumkhrah constituency.
The BJP in the past had significant presence in the state, but gradually its support base eroded. In the 1998 Assembly elections, the BJP had three legislators — T.H. Rangad (Laban), Hek (Pynthorumkhrah) and N.N. Simchang (Dalu in West Garo Hills). In the 2003 elections, Simchang could not retain the Dalu seat and in July 4 2003, after the death of BJP legislator Rangad, his wife Jopsimon Phanbuh contested and won the Laban seat for the party. Hek also retained Pynthorumkhrah seat.
In the 2008 Assembly elections, the BJP could get only one seat after Hek won again from Pynthorumkharh and the BJP failed to retain the Laban seat.
Hek had served as a minister for short periods in the previous NCP-UPD-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance government till March this year and also under the combination of the UDP-NCP in 2000.
Hek considered that while supporting the Congress, he has a better chance to win the seat in the 2013 elections. In a statement issued here, the state secretary-in-charge of organisation of the BJP, Dipayan Chakroborty, said the party’s primary membership which is for six years ended last year but it was decided to start the renewal of the memberships besides having new members for the year 2009 to 2014.
“After the completion of the membership drive that started yesterday and the local and block organisational elections, the party will have the election of the state president sometime in November,” Chakroborty said.
The party has urged all its members to renew their membership and also to give special attention for enrolling more youths and women in the respective blocks to rejuvenate the party.
“The BJP has already amended its constitution by giving 33 per cent reservation for women in its organisation,” he added.