Membership cost: Lacklustre enrollment response from MPs and MLAs pegs BJP back as polls loom

Party's MPs and MLAs have struggled with membership drive, unable to achieve desired outcome

- BISWAJEET BANERJEE

LUCKNOW: Despite directives from the BJP's top leadership, the party's ongoing membership drive has met a lukewarm response from its elected representatives. During the first phase of the campaign, from September 2 to 25, several MPs and MLAs struggled to meet their membership enrollment targets, with some failing to sign up even 500 new members.

BJP state president Bhupendra Chaudhary, without naming anyone, issued a stern warning to underperforming representatives, urging them to meet their targets by the second phase deadline of October 15. The party had set an ambitious goal of enrolling 10,000 new members per MP and MLA.