BJP targets 4 lakh venues for people to listen to 100th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat'

The BJP is going all out to make the 100th episode of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' radio broadcast an "unprecedented" mass outreach programme and will make arrangements at 100 venues on average in every assembly constituency across the country for people to listen to it.

The BJP said it will make arrangements at around four lakh places across the country for people to hear Modi's address, with party president J P Nadda overseeing the entire exercise to make it a "historic" success.

Overseas Indians around the world will also listen to 'Mann Ki Baat', the party said in a statement.

The 100th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat' will be broadcast on Sunday.

"In order to make the broadcast of the 100th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat' historic and to give it a comprehensive format, the Bharatiya Janata Party has released a detailed programme under which unprecedented arrangements are being made for its telecast at about 4 lakh booth level centres across the country," BJP national general secretary Dushyant Gautam said.

The party's overseas units and several non-political organisations have been roped in to ensure that the radio broadcast also has the maximum outreach abroad, he added.

In all Raj Bhavans, official residences of governors, and the homes of chief ministers of the BJP or its allies, arrangements have been made for eminent citizens to listen to the programme, party sources said.

Padma awardees from all states have been invited to attend the events at Raj Bhavans, they said.

BJP MPs and MLAs will be in their respective constituencies to oversee the exercise, with Nadda and other senior party leaders holding a number of video conferences in this regard.

"It will be organised on a large scale in more than 100 places in every Vidhan Sabha, in which local MPs, MLAs, other elected public representatives, senior party functionaries and party workers are involved in the coordination of the programme," Gautam said.

Along with this, civil society, various social and other organisations from across the country are also coming forward to participate, he said.

Nadda, Union Minister Amit Shah and other senior BJP leaders will participate in these events at different locations in the country, he added.

"Responsibilities have been given to all MPs, MLAs and elected public representatives of the party to make the 'Mann Ki Baat' programme successful. The party's state office-bearers have been given the responsibility of one district each," Gautam said.

Modi speaks on a variety of issues during his monthly radio programme which is broadcast on the last Sunday of every month.

The programme started in 2014, when the BJP government came to power, and has been going on since.

This programme is "completely non-political" and its prevalence as well as acceptability can be gauged from the fact that it is broadcast in 52 Indian languages and dialects as well as 11 foreign languages, Gautam said.

"This programme is the most popular programme today," he said.

With 'Mann Ki Baat', the prime minister has been successful in creating an emotional connect with the listeners, Gautam said.

"This is the reason why the trust of the general public of the country in the decisive leadership of Modi ji is increasing day by day," the BJP leader said.

"The number of listeners of 'Mann Ki Baat' is increasing day by day due to the guidance that the prime minister gives to the citizens through direct communication and inspiring stories," he added.