Get me 48 lakh social media ids: Modi tells BJP's Maharashtra unit

It’s no secret that among Indian politicians, few enjoy the popularity on social media that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi does. And he’s set the agenda for the Maharashtra unit of the party after his first visit since becoming a party’s campaign chief, telling them to get him social media addresses of 1 lakh people from each of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The BJP’s new campaign chief reportedly laid down a five point agenda for the state unit of the party telling them to collect social media addresses from all the constituencies of the state, including those that would be contested by ally Shiv Sena’s candidates.

A Business Standard report states that Modi released an action plan during his visit today which apart from collecting social media addresses, includes strengthening the party’s basic blocks, reaching out to voters and weeding out factionalism.

"(The) Gujarat CM’s emphasis was also on attracting youths in particular to the party fold in the run up to the parliamentary elections," an unnamed BJP leader was quoted as saying in the report.

He may have his task cut out. At today’s meeting with party officials, former BJP party chief Nitin Gadkari was conspicuously absent. Though the two leaders haven’t always seen eye to eye, Gadkari’s absence on this occasion has been blamed on some personal work that took him to Delhi.

Sources close to Gadkari said he was in Delhi for a visa interview for his upcoming visit to Norway.

“He has completed the formalities and is on his way back to Mumbai to attend a book release function in South Mumbai along with Modi,” sources said.

Modi also told the BJP leaders present at the meeting that it was essential for the party to start publicising the governance of BJP-ruled states and the allegations of corruption against the UPA government.

“BJP has to be voter-centric. We have to go the people now and highlight the corruption of the Congress and good governance of BJP ruled states,” Modi told the core committee of the state BJP unit here.

Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar said in 1999 Lok Sabha elections, their party won 18 Lok Sabha seats and Sena was victorious in 15.

“Our preparations this time should be to surpass that tally,” Javadekar said.

And while he may have been the subject to some barbs from ally Shiv Sena in the past,  Modi showed no signs of it when he visited the party chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence and met with him.

The Shiv Sena in an editorial had criticised Modi for his regional outlook during the recent Uttarakhand rescue operations but party officials quickly went into damage control mode with Thackeray saying the barbs were directed at Modi’s supporters and not the Gujarat Chief Minister. The reason, was reported to be a admonishing phone call from BJP chief Rajnath Singh.

with inputs from PTI