BJP reaches out to migrant workers ahead of elections

Patna: The BJP has launched a nine-day ‘Pravasi' (migrant) outreach programme to connect with 1.33 crore registered voters from Bihar working in 70 cities across the country. The initiative has been launched to persuade them to return home and vote for BJP and other NDA candidates in the upcoming assembly elections scheduled for Oct-Nov this year.
Coinciding with Bihar Diwas celebrations, the programme commenced on Saturday and will conclude on March 30. Events under this initiative, titled ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat Sneh Milan', will be organised in 70 cities across 28 states on dates suited to local conditions.
As a precursor to this outreach, PM Narendra Modi, during his visit to Mauritius earlier this month, highlighted the cultural significance of the Bhojpuri language. Around 66% of the island nation's population traces its roots to Bhojpuri-speaking indentured workers taken from Bihar's old Shahabad (Bhojpur) district to work on plantations from 1836 onwards.
Prior to this, Union home minister Amit Shah addressed the Shashwat Mithila meet in Ahmedabad, where Maithili-speaking people have a big presence.
"The migrant outreach programme is being held in 70 cities because of the large migrant population there. Besides, BJP functionaries in these cities have traditionally engaged with them during state elections," said Bihar BJP spokesperson and former MLA Prem Ranjan Patel. He added that the recent caste-based survey and headcount in Bihar revealed that 53 lakh families — equivalent to 2.65 crore people — live and work as migrants in other states. Party functionaries in host states will engage with these migrants and organise gatherings accordingly.
"The programme was devised by the party's top central leadership, with national general secretary Tarun Chugh appointed as its in-charge. The Bihar BJP unit, along with its counterparts in other states, was informed and tasked with coordinating the initiative," Patel said.
Historically, the large-scale return of Bihari migrant workers for the 2005 October-November assembly elections played a decisive role in shifting the balance in favour of the JD(U)-BJP NDA alliance. "Our estimate is that each of Bihar's 243 assembly constituencies has around 6,000-8,000 migrant voters," Patel said.