BJP chief Amit Shah asks activists to work for capturing power in Kerala

Palakkad (Ker), Dec 19: BJP President Amit Shah today asked party workers in Kerala to work with an objective to capture power in the state rather than opening its account in the state assembly by utilizing the favourable political climate in favour of the party at the national level.

Inaugurating the mega membership campaign programme of the party here, Shah said BJP should change the present political set-up in the state led by Congress and CPI-M by utilizing the national circumstances.

"Aim should be to capture power and not just open an account in the state," Shah said, apparently referring to the failure of the party to make an entry into the state assembly or Parliament from the state.

Shah's second visit to the state after assuming charge as party president assumes significance as elections to local bodies are due next year and to the state assembly in 2016.

He also addressed a meeting of state party leaders. The meet decided to have a 100-day action plan to strengthen membership of the party by having party cadres in all villages in the state.

The target of the party is to have 45 lakh party members. BJP General Secretary incharge of Kerala, A Raja, State President V Muraleedharan and other senior state party leaders attended the meet.

Though the party had failed to open an account in the state assembly and Lok Sabha, its vote share rose to 10.5 per cent in the April 2014 parliamentary polls without having any credible ally.

Party sources expressed confidence that assumption of power at the Centre under Modi's leadership created an ambience for it to make a bid to break the jinx. Shah visited Thiruvanathapuram in August last and addressed a convention of party workers across the state.

PTI