BJP's membership drive faces backlash in Gujarat over controversial tactics

The Gujarat BJP's ongoing membership drive has sparked multiple controversies, with allegations of malpractice, including unauthorized enrolment of schoolchildren in Surendranagar and a hospital patient in Visnagar unwittingly registered as a party member without their consent.

One incident occurred at a public health centre in Visnagar, where a woman who visited the facility for medical treatment found herself enrolled in the BJP without her knowledge. During her visit, a staff member requested her mobile number and OTP under the pretext of hospital protocols, The Hindu reported.

Shortly after sharing the OTP, she received a message congratulating her on becoming a BJP primary member. Her husband, who accompanied her to the health centre, objected to this and confronted the staff about the unauthorised membership.

A video he recorded during the altercation, in which he questioned the health staff’s motives, went viral on social media. Sources later revealed that the hospital worker responsible for the incident was employed by a third-party agency providing manpower services to the health centre.

Another controversy erupted in Bhavnagar when a video surfaced showing a local BJP leader offering ₹500 to workers for enrolling 100 new members. The offer, which quickly drew criticism, highlighted concerns about the legitimacy of the membership drive and raised questions about coercion and bribery in the process, according to The Hindu.

In Surendranagar, students from Kumari MR Gardi Vidyalaya were allegedly enrolled as BJP members during a school initiative. Authorities reportedly instructed students to bring mobile phones to link their ration cards with Aadhaar, but they were instead asked to join the BJP through an online link.

The district education officer has since issued a show-cause notice to the school. The school principal and teachers have offered conflicting explanations, with the principal denying involvement and placing responsibility on the students. A similar case was reported in another school in the district, further deepening concerns about the enrolment practices targeting students.

Additionally, in Narmada district, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator claimed that government officials had pressured workers of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to register as BJP members.

The BJP's membership drive aims to enrol two crore new members in Gujarat, a state that holds political significance as the home of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Despite the controversies, the state leadership has not issued any official statement in response to the allegations. Party officials have set ambitious targets for local leaders, including MPs and MLAs, to personally recruit thousands of new members as part of this drive. However, the controversies surrounding the enrolment process have cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the campaign.