In a bid to ensure that senior state leaders actively participate in the ongoing membership drive, the state BJP leadership has decided that the leaders must ensure their family members take party membership.

The decision was recently taken at a closed door meeting. The state BJP leadership has set a target of roping in at least 100 new members for each leaders at the state, district and block level.

The instruction comes after a section of senior leaders expressed their inability to take part in the membership drive due to other responsibilities.

According to BJP sources, the family members of several party leaders have nothing to do with politics let alone be BJP members.

"At the meeting, state BJP general secretary (organisation) Subrata Chattopadhyay said that the membership drive had started from this month. I have inducted several of my family members and relatives as party members...,” BJP sources said.

They further revealed that Chattopadhyay agreed to a section of senior party leaders who said that it is difficult for them to take part in the membership drive due to other responsibilities.

Chattopadhyay also said that it does not take much time and effort to induct one’s family members into the party.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh said that most of his relatives have become BJP members and his brother is now a BJP booth president in Jhargram district.

"Our relatives should become party members. I am no exception to this,” Ghosh was quoted by party sources.

BJP sources further revealed that the decision will create pressure on those who have joined the BJP from other parties as several of such new comers have family members who largely belong to parties such as the TMC and the CPM.

The move is unique in Bengal politics as even the CPM during its 34-year long rule in the state did not instruct party leaders to induct their relatives as party members.