BJP will be in power for 50 years: Amit Shah

Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah has said his party has not come to power for mere five or 10 years, but at least 50 years and called upon workers to strengthen the party and take it to every part of the country.

Shah also said that though the BJP appears to be at its peak with a majority government at the Centre and 1,387 MLAs in states the workers feel the party has still a long way to go.

'Today, we have a majority government at the Centre with 330 MPs, and also have 1,387 MLAs in different states. The party appears to be at its peak, but dedicated workers feel we have a long way ahead,' a BJP release on Saturday quoted Shah as saying at a meeting with partymen.

'We have not come to power for 5-10 years, but at least 50 years. We should move forward with a conviction that in 40-50 years we have to bring major changes in the country through the medium of power,' Shah said.

He was addressing the Madhya Pradesh BJP's core group members, office-bearers, MPs, MLAs and district chiefs, among others, at the party headquarters in Bhopal on Friday.

Shah arrived on Friday on a three-day visit to Madhya Pradesh for meetings with the BJP workers and office-bearers besides participating in various programmes as part of his 110-day nationwide tour.

The BJP president reminded the activists that the party has become a political force to reckon with due to hard work, dedication and sacrifice of its leaders over the years.

Today the BJP has become a party of 10-12 crore members because of many stalwarts who have dedicated their lives in building and strengthening the organisation, said Shah, according to the release.

'We have to ensure no place in the country is left where we don't have our flag. For this, we have to strengthen the organisation further,' Shah said.

'Character is the basis of our foundation,' he said, and called upon the BJP workers to ensure the party is present in every (polling) booth, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kamrup to Kutch.