With 8.8 crore members by March 29 (Sunday), BJP became the world’s largest political party, surpassing Communist Party of China, which had 8.67 crore members as of 2014. BJP has a target of securing 10 crore members by March 31, but some states have sought extension of the deadline. When BJP began its membership drive in November 2014, the party had just 3.25 crore members. Now, it has grown around three times. In Uttar Pradesh, BJP has secured 1.47 crore members and increased the target to 2 crore. BJP President Amit Shah will announce the final figure at the national executive to be held in Bangalore on April 3-4. The membership drive was Amit Shah’s brainchild, which has been a huge success elsewhere. Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have both already accounted for more than 80 lakh members, while West Bengal has recorded 37 lakh members. Earlier, the state had just 1.25 lakh members. Interestingly, BJP members have increased manifold in those states where BJP does not have significant force. That is a positive sign for the party.
