Guwahati, Sep 18 (IANS): The Assam BJP will intensify the membership drive next week and the leadership has aimed to enroll over 40 lakh new members, a party leader said on Wednesday.

A senior BJP leader told IANS, "We have initially set a target to include 60 lakh people in the state in our party and special emphasis is being given to the young generations who are between 18 and 25 years. However, currently, the membership drive is going on through a digital interface but in rural areas, many people still prefer to take membership through pen and paper mode."

"Till September 25, we will continue our membership drive by missed call and following that deadline, the offline membership system will commence," he added.

Meanwhile, earlier on Tuesday, state BJP president Bhabesh Kalita said, "As of today, the total new members of the BJP in Assam stand at more than 25,65,000. Many new people have taken the party's membership and many renewed it. The data is correct and it has been collected via digital format."

He said, "We have been getting excellent responses from different corners of the state. The membership drive has been going very well in the Barak Valley region, Kamrup district and upper Assam area. However, we have seen a little low response in Dhubri and Bodoland area."

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himata Biswa Sarma advised the party workers to enroll youths aged 18-25 into the party.

"Our party does not fight college or university elections. However, there is no bar in making them members of our party. I urge the block-level workers to lay emphasis on including youths in the BJP. They can take forward our mission for this country in future," he mentioned.