BJP says it's now world's largest political party with 8.8 crore members

New Delhi: BJP on Sunday claimed it has emerged as the largest party in the world with a membership strength of 8.8 crores, surpassing the Communist Party of China which has 8.6 crore members. [caption id=“attachment_2179037” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] BJP claimed to be the world’s largest political party. AFP[/caption] According to BJP leaders, the membership of BJP has touched 8.8 crores as of Sunday night and it might surpass the 10-crore target set by party president Amit Shah. The ambitious online membership drive of the party was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 1 November last year by becoming its first member after dialing a mobile telephone number. The party introduced a hi-tech system whereby a person can become a BJP member by merely dialing a mobile number. The party had set a target of enrolling 10 crore members across the country by March 31 but it fell short of its target. The last one crore members were added in merely eight days when the party touched the 8-crore mark on 23 March. The leaders say the party has the maximum members from Uttar Pradesh where the BJP is aiming at forming a government on its own after the 2017 assembly elections. The BJP had won a maximum of 71 Lok Sabha seats out of a total of 80 in the state in the 2014 polls and two other seats were won by its ally Apna Dal. PTI