BJP holds membership drive in 250 slums in Delhi, Irani addresses workers

BJP conducted a membership drive in 252 slum clusters as part of its weekly outreach in jhuggis of the national capital as senior party leader Smriti Irani began her three-day organisational visit in the city.

Irani addressed BJP workers in Shahdara, Karol Bagh and New Delhi areas as part of the BJP's membership drive.

The party's membership drive in the JJ clusters were held under the leadership of Union minister Harsh Malhotra and Alka Gurjar, co-in-charge of BJP's Delhi unit.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva claimed that people living in slum clusters are enthusiastically becoming the party's members because they are disappointed with the Arvind Kejriwal government.

 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), however, said the people of Delhi were firmly in support of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and called the BJP's membership drive in the city as a "grand nautanki".

Union minister Malhotra conducted the membership drive at the Indira Camp, Patparganj, along with party workers, and said the party was trying to help slum dwellers have clean homes.

Gurjar inducted new members in the party in Shastri Market and nearby settlements near Vasant Vihar. She said there is a strong attraction towards the BJP among poor women because they want to provide a good future for their children, and the Kejriwal government has "disappointed" slum dwellers.

Many senior BJP leaders, including organisational Delhi BJP general secretary Pavan Rana, MP Bansuri Swaraj and party workers were present at the membership drive held in the city.

The BJP has been holding events every Sunday as part of its outreach campaign in Delhi's slum clusters in view of assembly polls next year.

Earlier this week, the party launched a membership drive to renew membership of existing members and enroll new members.

In her address to BJP workers, former Union minister Irani highlighted key points that they can discuss with people when they take the membership campaign to every household, a statement of the Delhi BJP said.

"Today, after participating in BJP's national membership campaign, I am satisfied to see the extensive welfare work being done for the poor across the country by the BJP government," Irani said.

She further said that a large number of citizens are joining the BJP and becoming members.

The AAP, in a statement issued on Sunday, said that CM Kejriwal has transformed the infrastructure of unauthorised colonies.

As elections approach, the BJP may put on a "grand nautanki", but the people of Delhi remain unwavering in their support for Arvind Kejriwal, the statement said.

Kejriwal gave up his IRS job, lived in slums and understood the struggles of the economically disadvantaged section, it said.

"When he first became chief minister, he ensured water pipelines were laid in all the 1,800 unauthorised colonies," the statement read.

Before his leadership, these colonies did not even have access to basic essentials such as water but in less than a decade, Kejriwal has transformed Delhi's infrastructure by building roads in the unauthorised colonies, it said.

"CM Arvind Kejriwal recognised the urgent need for quality education for children in slum areas, sparking Delhi's renowned education revolution. Today, the children of drivers, peons, and sanitation workers are entering prestigious institutions like IITs and pursuing careers as doctors, engineers and lawyers," the statement read.

"While no previous government cared for the health of the financially disadvantaged, the AAP government has built 550 mohalla clinics, including special pink mohalla clinics for women, ensuring healthcare for all," it said.