New Delhi, Jun 14 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will begin its membership drive from July 6, the birth anniversary of its founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, and continue it till August 10. The saffron party claims to have 11 crore members at present.

Addressing the media at the party headquarters here on Friday, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and party Vice President Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that after its overwhelming victory in the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP was preparing to spread its base in areas where it had been weak so far.

"The programme for active membership (members who participate in the party's activities) will take place from August 16 to 31 and the target is to increase the number of members by 20 per cent, which is 2.20 crore," he said.

Chouhan, who is also convenor of the membership drive, said that the focus would be to enrol more youth and respectable people from the society.

He said the membership drive will be undertaken through missed calls too and the party workers would visit booth level members too to verify their authenticity.

He said the focus would be on West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Kashmir Valley, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim.

Chouhan said that on June 17 party President Amit Shah will hold a meeting at the party headquarters to guide the membership drive committee.