BJP deploys ‘vistaraks' to expand women outreach in poll-bound Bihar

Hindustan Times

6 days ago

After initiating programmes to reach out Dalits voters and over 30 million migrant voters across different states, BJP in a bid to woo women voters has started a programme to reach out over nearly 48% of women voters in Bihar. BJP has deployed nearly 223 women vistaraks (outreach workers) in 120 assembly to reach out to women voters at every level. (Representative Photo)
The party has deployed nearly 223 women vistaraks (outreach workers) in 120 assembly to reach out to women voters at every level.
'The first phase of the programme started on July 25 and will end on August 2. So far, Vistaraks from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh are doing house to house visit, meeting Anganwadis workers, Jeevika didis, interacting with all section of women, panchayat and booth level workers explaining to them about central and state government schemes and works,' said Bihar BJP Women Morcha president and Rajya Sabha MP, Dharamshila Gupta. 'Women Vistaraks from other states will soon join. The date of the second phase will be decided later,' she added.
This is the first time that the national leadership of the party has deployed such a large number of women vistaraks in Bihar. The party has given the responsibility of each assembly constituency to two vistaraks. Apart from this, 10 women leaders have been deployed for monitoring.
The BJP had earlier organised a massive outreach programme for women in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In particular, the party wants to tap young voters.
'This initiative aims to counter anti-incumbency sentiment and strengthen the BJP's connection with women voters. The party has divided Bihar into eight zones for targeted campaigning and will also bring in experienced party workers from other states to assist with election management,' said BJP state vice president, Santosh Pathak.
In the first phase of the seven-day stay, women outreach workers would be meeting MLAs, former MLAs and the candidates who contested the assembly elections in the assembly constituency.
Next they will hold meetings with Jeevika didis, three-tier Panchayat representatives. Apart from this, the outreach workers would hold meetings with intellectual women contacts such as doctors, advocates, teachers, social workers, entrepreneurial women and Anganwadi workers. Along with this, meetings with the beneficiaries of the schemes of the Central and state governments have also been planned.
The vistaraks have also been given the task of counting the achievements of the double engine government by making the slogan of growing Bihar, rights to women, respect for life, and the NDA government as the basis in every meeting. 'Their campaign will highlight achievements of the 'double engine' government's schemes targeted at women and girls, such as the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Sukanya Samridhi Yojana, PM Ujjwala Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, PM Awas Yojana (Rural), and Stand-up India Yojana,' said Gupta.
Earlier in June, in a bid to consolidate support among Scheduled Castes and nullify Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's move to target SC voters, the BJP has decided to launch an outreach campaign to woo Dalits of poll-bound Bihar. In May, it had decided to woo about 30 millions migrant voters of Bihar. The party decided to make an appeal to them to come and vote. The party had identified nearly 150 districts in the country for the purpose.