PM tribute to lesser-known BJP workers

NEW DELHI: Paying tributes to the lesser-kown BJP workers since the days of its precursor Jana Sangh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday recalled how several of them toiled hard to expand the party's footprint and popularise its ideology at a time when the party's appeal was limited.
He spoke of party workers and leaders on a day when a new section - "Kamal Pushpa" (Sahyog, Samarpan aur Sanskar) - was added to Modi's Namo app through which the Prime Minister also sought inspirational anecdotes about those who played a role in BJP's long journey to success.
Sources said as most of the initial party workers in Jan Sangh and BJP were social workers and not politicians, it was PM's idea that there should be documented history of their achievements so that not only BJP workers but people at large read about their "inspirational" stories.
"With the blessings of the people, BJP has got the opportunity to serve across several states and at the Centre. A key reason behind this trust of people is the stellar role played by generations of karyakartas who have devoted their lives to the Party and nation building," the PM tweeted.
Sharing details of the new addition to the app, Modi further said, "The NaMo App has a very interesting section known as 'Kamal Pushp' that gives you the opportunity to share and know about inspiring party karyakartas from the Jana Sangh days to the present, who toiled to popularise our ideology. Do contribute and enrich this section."
Modi shared stories about some of the party workers like Mallikarjunaiah from Karnataka and a freedom fighter from Uttarakhand, Pandit Devendra Shastri, whom the PM referred to as a "beacon of principled politics".
In the introductory note about "Kamal Pushp", Modi said he firmly believed and has often said that BJP has been built on the foundations of selfless service and the sacrifices of many generations of workers.