BJP workers’ morale high, party expanding fast: Party leader

New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) The BJP workers' morale was quite high after party President Amit Shahs nationwide tours and meetings and given the fact that 18 states have governments of the party that was expanding fast, party General Secretary Bhupender Yadav said on Sunday.

During his nationwide tour, Amit Shah travelled more than 50,000 km, held 309 organisational meetings and 176 smaller programmes, and interacted with 18,000 intellectuals across the country, Yadav told reporters after a meeting of BJP office-bearers during the ongoing National Executive meet of the Bharatiya Janata Party here.

Besides, he said, Shah had 800 interactions with the regional media.

"Sangathan me utsah ka mahol bana hai (An atmosphere of enthusiasm has been built in the party)," Yadav said, adding that four lakh 'vistaraks' or volunteers who pledge to work full-time for the party for 15 days have joined and worked in 4,100 assembly constituencies.

He said party offices in around 85 per cent of the districts across the country have been set up, apart from library-cum-study centres in 26 states.

Earlier, Shah inaugurated the party office-bearers meeting -- which finalises the agenda and resolutions to be passed at the following day's main event -- at the NDMC Convention Centre here.

Besides party's central office-bearers, all state Bharatiya Janata Party Presidents and General Secretaries (Organisation) attended Sunday's meeting.

The main meeting will be held on Monday at the Talkatora Stadium.

According to party leaders, 15 BJP Chief Ministers, six Deputy Chief Ministers, 1,400 MLAs, 85 members of legislative councils, 280 ministers and 336 MPs would attend.

The government is concerned over the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has been talking of a package to revive economic growth after the November 8 demonetisation slowed it down.

Shah will deliver the inaugural address on Monday while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the concluding session.

Modi is likely to address the concerns over the Indian economy and is all set to list his government's achievements in the last three years.

Yadav said that the "New India" and "Swachhta" resolves would also be taken forward.

Usually, the National Executive members alone attend the meeting but this time the BJP is holding an extended meeting, with invites going to all elected representatives of the party. Besides, state Presidents, state General Secretaries and several other party functionaries will also attend.

Political and economic resolutions are set to be passed by the National Executive. Sources in the BJP said party Vice President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and General Secretary Ram Madhav were assigned to prepare the resolutions.

The sources said the economic resolution is likely to mention demonetisation as a "bold decision to curb the menace of corruption" and the passage of Goods and Services Tax (GST) as another feather in the Modi government's cap.

During the meeting, Shah will take stock of organisational works taken up in Bhubaneswar in the last National Executive meet.

To mark the birth centenary of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh idiologue Deendayal Upadhyaya, the BJP had asked all its state units to hold programmes. Shah will also take stock of the campaign.

Posters put up here also have pictures of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani.