Bhopal, Feb 18 (IANS): In a bid to rejuvenate the party in the run-up to the 2023 Assembly polls, as well as the Lok Sabha elections due in 2024, the Congress has set a target to enrol at least 50 lakh new members in Madhya Pradesh.

A decision in this regard was taken during a meeting on Thursday to chalk out a plan to kick-start the party's digital membership campaign in the state.

Congress General Secretary and in-charge for Madhya Pradesh, Mukul Wasnik, who was present in the meeting, said that very little time is left for the upcoming Assembly elections and through the digital membership campaign, the party has decided to enrol 50 lakh new members.

"The Congress has been engaged in an ideological clash with the BJP and the RSS for decades, and it will continue the battle in the times to come. Through a real and authentic membership drive, we will defeat the BJP in the next Assembly elections," Wasnik said.

All-India Congress Committee (AICC) membership in-charge K. Raju was also present in the meeting.

During the party's organisational meet, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath expressed anguish over the slackness in the party membership drive and asked the district heads concerned to complete the campaign.

Nath also expressed dissatisfaction over the pending appointments at different levels, and ordered the district party heads to expedite these.

"All district heads are directed to complete the appointments of block-level party workers by February 25. If you are not capable of doing so, tender your resignation to pave the way for able persons," Nath said.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Nath said the party headquarters have instructed for a digital membership campaign which will be implemented in Madhya Pradesh shortly.

Nath also underlined that such a digital initiative has been a success in Telangana.

However, factionalism was yet again visible in the party meeting with senior leader Digvijaya Singh, former minister Ajay Singh and prominent OBC leader Arun Yadav giving it a miss.