Bengaluru, Apr 2 (IANS): Expanding its base in the country, especially the seven states where it is weak, will be the focus of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders who are holding a strategy meet here.
According to party sources, the states identified for this include Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha.
The agenda for the two-day national executive meeting, starting on Friday, was discussed at the office-bearers' meet presided over by BJP President Amit Shah on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also joined the office-bearers' meet later in the day and addressed them.
"The party will adopt a political resolution and a resolution on how the image of India has been enhanced internationally," BJP spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said talking about the meeting.
The BJP leader also said they would discuss how to involve BJP workers in the Clean India and Clean Ganga campaigns.
He said Shah, speaking at the beginning of the meet, congratulated members over the success of the membership campaign.
Asked if there will be any discussion on the way ahead for the Land Acquisition Bill as it appears to have hit a roadblock in parliament, the spokesperson said: "All issues of national importance will be discussed."
The meeting, which is likely to be the last one before the Bihar assembly polls, is also expected to focus on the state elections.
"Whatever the 'Janta Parivar' may do, BJP will win Bihar," Hussain said.
Asked if the BJP's poor performance in Delhi will also be taken up, the spokesperson said: "Both victories and defeats will be discussed."
Earlier in the day, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Bharatiya Janata Party's national vice president B.S. Yeddyurappa and state unit president Prahlad Joshi received Modi after he landed at the HAL airport.
As hundreds of BJP cadres and supporters waited in the hot sun outside the airport to greet the prime minister, Modi suddenly alighted from the car and walked up to them, waving and smiling at them.
"We are humbled by Modi's gesture to get down from his car and greet us in person. He is our party's true leader and connects well with the workers," an elated party worker told IANS.
Amid tight security, Modi drove to Raj Bhavan in a convoy, which was escorted by a fleet of police and VIP vehicles that blocked vehicular traffic on the 8-km route.
After resting for some time, Modi drove to the Lalit Ashok hotel, two km from Raj Bhavan, to address party members in the evening.
"Modi will also attend the second day's executive meeting on Saturday and address party members in the afternoon before lunch and leave for Delhi later," a party official told IANS.
Though the national executive meeting is the first after the BJP came to power at the Centre in May 2014, it is the fourth time the meet is being held here after the first in 1993, second 1999 and the third 2008, when the party was in power in the southern state for five years.
"Modi will also interact with the BJP's members in parliament and state legislatures on the margins of the meet and collect feedback from them on the people's perception of the 10-month-old NDA government at the Centre," the official said.
Keeping in view Modi's penchant for his pet project Swachch Bharat Abhiyan (or Clean India Mission), the cash-starved Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) swung into action and spruced up some of the thoroughfares, roads and footpaths Modi will pass through during his stay in the city till Saturday afternoon.
In view of the presence of senior party leaders L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, party president Amit Shah, union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, M. Venkaiah Nadu, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, security has been tightened in the city, especially around the venues where Modi will visit.