After the BJP-ruled Gujarat government ran a month-long Jal Sanchay (water conservation) drive in May, now the saffron party is eagerly waiting for good rains as they have planned Jal Poojan programme across the state. The party leaders have decided to hold a festival of Jal Poojan in which they would offer puja to the rain god at the ponds, rivers, tanks, and reservoirs which were deepened or designated by the state government during the drive.
The party's state unit has instructed the leaders and workers that they would hold such festivals in their areas after the reservoir is filled with rainwater at its full capacity and that would have to be done in the manner so that people in villages should reckon the ceremony with the positive outcome of the state government's efforts of Jal Sanchay Abhiyan.
A senior leader in the party said on condition of anonymity, "This Jal Poojan programme will be done in the presence of people in villages and that will include religious ritual and mass banquet so that people would be attracted. This is an effort to make the people realize that the Gujarat government's water conservation drive fructified and that was aimed at the people's benefit. Representatives from government also will join this programmes but it will be purely a BJP's event and not government one."
"We could experience during water conservation drive, that BJP could go close to rural people who had shut their doors for our party workers during the assembly poll campaign and voted against our party candidates. That was an ice-breaking moment for us as our workers and leaders were not ready to go in rural areas after poor show of party in polls. Now with this celebration, we will reach out rural people again before Lok Sabha polls," added the leader.
The party leaders have also decided to run the plantation drive and Guru Poornima celebration. The party workers and leaders will visit places of different spiritual and religious Gurus on Guru Poornima and will try to woo their followers politically.
PARTY PLANS POOJA
- BJP state unit has instructed the leaders and workers to hold such festivals after the reservoir is filled with rainwater.
- Jal Poojan prog-ramme will include religious rituals and mass banquet
