BJP at its peak, workers should ensure it retains public

support: BJP New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Calling Prime Minister NarendraModi the "world’s most popular leader", BJP chief Amit Shahtoday said the party is currently at its peak but its workersshould ensure that it retains the public support it hasreceived due to its organisation and Modi’s popularity. At a function where top leaders, including the primeminister, came together to mark the start of work on its newswanky headquarters here, he said the Modi government remainsas popular as it was on the day it took oath. "When we have the world’s most popular leader in NarendraModi, then it is our responsibility that we live up to theexpectations of the common man and lend permanence to the widepublic support the party is getting. "We all under Modi’s leadership decide that this goldenera of BJP is not our peak. We should not be satisfied withour today’s successes and have to grow beyond it," he said. The new office spread across two acres at Deen DayalUpadhyaya Marg will bear the stamp of the party’s cultural andnationalist agenda in its design, party leaders said, addingit will be equipped with latest communication medium andconference facilities, allowing its leadership to connect withdistrict and block-level workers. It is vastu-compliant, can hold a meeting of 2,000-3,000workers, will have several conference rooms and a big screenoutside to live stream any big party event. The proposedstructure of six floors will be illuminated with ample sunlight, according to a presentation made at the event. Over two and a half hours of yagna was held with Shah atthe centre of rituals for ‘bhoomi pujan’ and Modi and othertop party leaders joining him. The party is hoping that the new premises will be ready byDecember, 2018 and plans to hold its inauguration on thebirthday of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Shah was joined by all the former party presidents at thedais as he hailed the sacrifices of party workers during itsjourney from a 10-member organisation to 11-crore membership. Today, BJP has over 1,000 MLAs, more than 300 MPs and isin power in 12 states either on its own or with its allies, hesaid. Noting that the Modi government formed in 2014 was thefirst majority dispensation at the Centre in the last 30years, he said, "It remains as popular as it was when it tookoath. It is our responsibility to lend permanence to thesupport the party has received." The party wants to open an office each in 580 districts ofthe country and has bought land in 250 places so far, he said. While its commitment to its ideology has fuelled itsgrowth, the way it is run will have to change with time, hesaid as he spoke about his thrust on the use of officesequipped with modern communication facilities to coordinate inreal time its programmes from Tamil Nadu to Arunachal Pradesh. The party is also working to document its history andefforts are on to put together audio and videos of itsleaders. PTI KRZMN