Guwahati, Sep 9 (IANS): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said 13 lakh people have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a week since the launch of a membership drive in the state, adding that the number will surpass the figure registered in the previous year.

"The membership drive commenced on September 2 and within this one-week time, around 13 lakh members have joined the BJP. We are confident that this time we will surely exceed the previous year's membership figure, which was 18 lakh," the Assam Chief Minister told the media.

He mentioned that till September 25, the membership will be done through missed calls to a designated number.

"If we get an additional time after September 25, the party functionaries will start a manual membership drive also. Our party workers will help in filling the membership forms through pen and paper mode," CM Sarma said.

He also urged the people to join the BJP during the membership drive.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also took a swipe at the Congress as the opposition has set a target of winning at least 80 out of 126 seats in the next Assembly polls.

"All parties should step in to contest the polls and there is no objection. My best wishes to them," Sarma said.

Moreover, Sarma refused to comment on Ripun Bora, who quit the Trinamool Congress and joined the Congress again.

"One leader had gone to the Trinamool Congress from Congress, and now he has returned to the Congress again. Here, the BJP is not involved in the picture and hence I should not comment on the development," he said.

Ripun Bora quit the Trinamool Congress, led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, questioning her leadership role about the party's expansion in Assam, and joined the Congress on Sunday.