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National Voters’ Day: PM Modi urges BJP workers to help raise voter turnout to 75%

Virtually addressing party workers in Gujarat on the NaMo app, the Prime Minister also urged them to collect details of all those who had worked for the organisation since the Jana Sangh days.

Narendra Modi, National Voters' Day, assembly elections, BJP workers, voter turnout, india news, indian expressFile photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (PTI)

On National Voters’ Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged his party workers to see that the voter turnout in their respective areas is increased to 75% to mark the 75th anniversary of Independence.

Virtually addressing the BJP’s “panna pramukhs” (page in-charge) in Gujarat via the NaMo app, Modi asked them to see that each one of them is connected to every voter in their list and to their families, and to get the details of those who had worked and sacrificed for the party since the Jana Sangh days on the Kamal Pushp.

Kamal Pushp is an initiative by the BJP as part of the Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav Parv to collate the stories of BJP and Jana Sangh karyakartas. The Prime Minister also asked them to get every member on the voter page to participate in the party’s micro donation campaign to build the organisation and fight against malnutrition from the booth level.

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In his opening remarks, Modi reminded the party workers that January 25 is National Voters’ Day. Pointing out that India’s Election Commission, which was established in 1951 to ensure free and fair polls, has become a model for other democratic nations, he said the voter turnout has over the years gone up from 45% in the first election to just 67% (in 2019).

“All of you, in fact every party should think why the voter turnout is so low. Why the urban people who are active on social media do not come out and vote. It should be changed,” he said. “Can we take a pledge that our panna pramukhs will see that in this 75th year of Independence, there is 75% voter turnout in their booth.”

Festive offer

He, however, expressed happiness that youths see the “inked finger” as a “cool statement or fashion statement” when voting takes place in their localities.

The Prime Minister also called to keep alive the debate on One Nation, One Election as well as One Nation, One Voter List. “The discourse should continue, then only some outcome would be there. We all know how frequent elections affect works.” Modi has been emphasising the idea of a single election since he came into power in 2014.

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He also sought feedback on development works, organisation activities, vaccination programme and the party’s outreach programme.

Modi wanted them to ensure that the “contributions and sacrifice” of every person who has worked for the BJP since the days of the Jana Sangh and those who had fought against the Emergency, is acknowledged on the Kamal Pushp so that “the coming generation can get inspired by them.” He said every panna pramukh should see to it that those with names on their pages take part in the BJP’s micro donation campaign even if the contribution is just Rs 5, Rs 10 or Rs 15.

The micro donation campaign was launched on the NaMo app on December 25 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of A B Vajpayee and will go on till February 11, the death anniversary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay.

Pointing out that malnutrition among children is a challenge that the party and the nation has to fight against, the Prime Minister sought participation from his party workers in the battle. “It’s important that everyone participates in this fight. If children are healthy, our society will be healthy. The panna pramukhs should see that there are health fairs in each booth,” Modi added.

Have been in journalism covering national politics for 23 years. Have covered six consecutive Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls in almost all the states. Currently writes on ruling BJP. Always loves to understand what's cooking in the national politics (And ventures into the act only in kitchen at home).  ... Read More

First uploaded on: 25-01-2022 at 14:10 IST
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