Bangalore, Aug 11: In a bid to bolster its image ahead of assembly elections in some states, the BJP today announced a year-long action plan for 2002-03. As part of initiatives to undertake a mid-term appraisal and chalk out a road map for political and social correctiveness, five regional conventions would be held, beginning here on August 27 and 28, party president M Venkaiah Naidu told a press conference. At these meetings, the party would not only chalk out programmes to expand its base, but ensure its presence in states where it lacks a good support-base, Naidu said.
Convention for the Eastern Zone would be held in Kolkata, the North-East in Guwahati, West and part of North at Jaipur and the Central Zone at Bhopal, he said. Naidu, who was here to attend the Karnataka unit BJP council meeting, said that the party would seek the response of state unit presidents, general secretaries and other top party leaders, to the problems faced by people.
Delegates from Pondicherry and Andaman and Nicobar islands would be invited for the southern zonal convention, which is expected to be attended by deputy prime minister L K Advani, several union ministers and party office-bearers, Naidu added.
Bureau Report