The BJP in Dakshina Kannada has launched an over-a-month-long exercise to train its grassroots workers on administration and life skills and enlighten them on Union government schemes.

The ‘Abhyasavarga’ (training), having 313 sessions which began on July 26, will go on across the district till the end of August, according to Satish Kumpala, president, Dakshina Kannada unit of the party.

“The sessions which are under way have nothing to do with the general elections, which are far away. But the party is ready to face any election,” Mr. Kumpala told The Hindu.

The grassroots workers are being trained by 180 trainers who are senior workers of the party, he said.

The workers are being trained on their role in administration, including in gram sabhas, how to avail themselves of the benefits of Union government schemes, how to emerge as a good human being by adopting life skills and also on how to prepare to face elections, Mr. Kumpala, former vice-president of Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, said.

The president said that the grassroots workers are also being enlightened on the history of the party, its ideology, civic sense, conservation of the environment, family values, maintaining harmonious relations, and how to build the party from the base.

Premananda Shetty, general secretary of the unit and a former Mayor of Mangaluru, said that usually political parties activate their grassroots workers about six months ahead of the main elections. But the party unit in the district has launched the exercise on its own initiative to keep the grassroots workers active.

Mr. Shetty said that the duration of each session will be half a day — either in the forenoon or the afternoon.

He said that the party has 468 ‘Shakthi Kendras’. Each kendra is a unit for every gram panchayat and every ward or a group of wards in urban areas. Each booth-level committee of the party has 12 members.

A. Yatish, another general secretary of the unit said that the party completed 16 training sessions till August 1.

BJP in majority

Of the eight Assembly constituencies in the district, six are in the fold of the BJP.

Of 12 urban local bodies, elections are yet to be held in four bodies (Mangaluru, Kadaba, Bajpe and Kinnigoli). Of the remaining eight, the BJP is in power in six. In addition, the district Parliamentary constituency is held by the BJP.