Choosing to skip any reference to troubles plaguing the Bharatiya Janata Party including the Vyapam scam, party president Amit Shah, who completed one year at the helm of the organisation on Thursday, claimed his is the only party in the country which works on the principle of internal democracy.
"There are around 1,600 parties in the country but very few of them work on principles of internal democracy. The BJP is the only party where internal democracy is practiced effectively and I am proud of it," Shah said in Mumbai.
He was speaking at a party meet in suburban Bandra where he reviewed the 'Maha Sampark Abhiyan' for five west zone states, including Maharashtra. Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made the country proud by raising India's stature in the world.
Holding that the BJP is a party in which even a grassroot-level worker can aspire for top positions by dint of hard work and dedication, he said, "To get a post (in the BJP) one does not have to be born into a particular family. Any party worker who works with dedication can become party president or prime minister of the country."
"Today, the BJP has 11 crore members. Large sections of people in the country are well wishers of the BJP. We launched the membership drive to reach this section. We gave special attention to southern and north east states," he said.
The membership has increased by three to seven times and this is the result of the hard work by party workers, he said. In future, the party would undertake a "maha sampark" and training campaigns, Shah, who was appointed the BJP chief on July 9 last year, said.
Since the BJP-led government came to power at the Centre last year, it has launched 24 peoples welfare schemes, he said, and underscored the need to bring in greater transparency in various wings of the party.
Emphasising on the need to ensure probity in the functioning of various party-run outfits, he said "what I want to tell you is that the position of trusts run by the party is not sound. I want you all to file the balance sheet of these trusts with the charity commissioner within stipulated time," he said.
