Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will celebrate its 38th foundation day today at Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) ground. On the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with party workers of five Lok Sabha seats and with the presidents of 734 district units.
While Modi will interact with them via video conference through his app, party president Amit Shah will address a public meeting in Mumbai to mark its foundation day.
Other than Shah, Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP President Raosaheb Danve-Patil and other top functionaries will also be present at the event.
Here are the LIVE updates:
12:02 pm: On the BJP's 38th Foundation Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi credited party workers for taking the organisation to new heights. The BJP is the party of "a New India" and his party "believes in India's diversity, its unique culture and the strengths of 125 crore Indians", he said.
12:01 pm: "For @BJP4India, the Karyakartas are everything. They are the heart and soul of the party, whose sweat has taken the Party to new heights. It is due to their efforts that we have the honour to serve people all over India and fulfil their aspirations. #IndiaTrustsBJP.
12:00 pm: "I bow all @BJP4India Karyakartas on the special occasion of the Party's Sthapana Diwas," Modi tweeted.
11:58 am: The prime minister said at 4:30 PM today he will interact with party volunteers through a live video interaction, via the Narendra Modi Mobile App. "It is always special to interact with hardworking Karyakartas!" he tweeted.
11:41 am:
BJP MPs protest in Parliament premises against Congress. MoS PMO Jitendra Singh says 'Entire session got washed out. People of this country have not taken it kindly. We have failed to live up to the expectations of the people because of a handful of people'. pic.twitter.com/cVjNnNkLct
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
11:38 am: BJP works for connecting people, Congress works for dividing people. Congress indulges in divisive, negative politics. It didn't let the House function. We'll sit in protest against the negative attitude of Congress during last 23 days: Ananth Kumar,Parliamentary Affairs Minister
11:15 am: With over three lakh party workers expected to attend the public meeting, the city is facing massive traffic jams, especially near the BKC.
10:33 am: Amit Shah's address today could be a political messages ahead of the 2019 general elections and the state elections in Maharashtra.
10:03 am:
Delhi: Visuals from BJP Parliamentary Party Meeting. #BudgetSession pic.twitter.com/s6Uy7kck6s
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
09:34 am:
#Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrive for BJP Parliamentary Party Meeting. pic.twitter.com/s2IhgkVMG6
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
09:31 am:
#Delhi: Senior BJP Leader LK Advani, MoS PMO Jitendra Singh and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar arrive for BJP Parliamentary Party Meeting. pic.twitter.com/qiQ9noO6Fa
— ANI (@ANI) April 6, 2018
09:30 am: The five Lok Sabha constituencies chosen are New Delhi, North East Delhi, Hamirpur in in Himachal Pradesh, North Central Mumbai and Saran in Bihar. Their MPs are Meenakshi Lekhi, Manoj Tiwari, Anurag Thakur, Poonam Mahajan and Rajiv Pratap Rudy respectively.
Also Read: 2019 Lok Sabha elections: BJP to kickstart campaign with massive show of strength on 38th foundation day in Mumbai
A BJP statement said Modi will speak to thousands of party workers in these five seats besides the district presidents and their team members on a host of issues, and will also answer their queries.
The interaction comes amid an acrimonious slugfest involving the BJP and the opposition, especially the Congress, over a variety of issues, including the ongoing deadlock in Parliament and Dalit protests.
Also, the occasion is set to kickstart the party’s campaign for the ensuing 2019 Lok Sabha elections with a massive show of strength.
Over 300,000 workers -- booth level to Members of Parliament -- from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are expected for the mega event, said Danve Patil.
around 80,000 booth heads, 26 wings and unit office-bearers, 5,000 village sarpanches, elected members of 97 big and small civic bodies, all MPs and MLAs, district and sub-district heads -- who have been entrusted to bring other five-ten representatives each -- have started arriving in Mumbai.
More than 50,000 buses and vehicles and 28 special trains will ferry the activists from across Maharashtra and other states, at the BKC Grounds, all being supervised by Mumbai party President Ashish Shelar.
Elaborate arrangements have been made at the BKC Grounds with three massive stages, seven marquees for the events and another two marquees for the activists to stay the night.
Modi will hear the ideas of party leaders and also share details of his government's welfare schemes, the statement said. He will also answer their questions, the statement said.
The prime minister has often used modern communication technology to get in touch with party leaders and workers.
