Guwahati, Sep 22 (IANS) Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the BJP has been getting “unprecedented response” in its membership drive in Assam and the party was set to reach the target of 40 lakh members soon.

Taking to X handle, CM Sarma wrote, “Our membership drive has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm from the people of Assam - an unprecedented response. We are now steadily progressing towards the 40 lakh mark.”

Following the membership drive launched on September 2, the state unit of the BJP was able to get more than 13 lakh members in just one week. According to the BJP leaders, due to good responses from the public, the membership drive witnessed a steady increase in the state.

A senior party leader said, “We have initially set a target to include 60 lakh people in the state in our party and special emphasis is being given to the young generations who are between 18 and 25 years. However, currently, the membership drive is going on through a digital interface but in rural areas, many people still prefer to take membership through pen and paper mode.”

“Till September 25, we will continue our membership drive by missed calls and following that deadline, the offline membership system will commence,” he added.

Meanwhile, the state BJP president Bhabesh Kalita said, “Many new people have taken the membership of the party along with existing members who have renewed their membership. The data is absolutely correct and it has been collected via digital format.”

He said, “We have been getting excellent responses in different corners of the state. The membership drive has been going very well in the Barak Valley region, Kamrup district and upper Assam area. However, we have seen a little low response in Dhubri and Bodoland area.”

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sarma advised the party workers to emphasize including youths who are between 18 and 25 years old.

“Our party does not fight college or university elections. However, there is no bar in making them members of our party. I urge the block-level workers to give emphasis over including youths in the BJP. They can take forward our mission for this country in future,” he said.