Lucknow, Aug 2 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set to achieve its target of 50 lakh new members in Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing membership drive that began on July 6.

The BJP has booth committees in all 1.63 lakh booths in the state and party members have been enrolling members at all the booths.

The BJP this time has not confined the membership drive to its traditional vote base, but is making sure that it penetrates into all sections of the society. The party is focusing on OBCs, Dalits and the weaker sections of the society. Muslims will also form a part of the party's membership drive.

The idea is to expand the party's vote base in Uttar Pradesh and marginalise caste-centric parties before the next Assembly elections due in 2022.

The BJP has combined this exercise with social responsibilities by encouraging tree plantation, Swachh Bharat mission and water conservation in villages and cities across the country.

"We are celebrating the membership drive as a 'Sangathan Parv'. The party workers are also planting saplings, launching cleanliness drives in villages before asking people to join the party," said party General Gecretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak.

BJP working President J.P. Nadda had told the party workers at the launch of the membership drive that the initiative should also have a social responsibility aspect. "It should include Swachhta Abhiyan at every booth and a plantation drive as well. Every couple should plant a tree per five members of their family," he had stated.

The membership drive is also being undertaken through missed calls and the party workers will visit booth-level members too to verify their authenticity.