BENGALURU: BJP national president Amit Shah sole focus in his first formal interaction with the Karnataka party leaders on Saturday was to reach the one crore membership target by March 31, thereby disappointing their expectations of getting some direction from him to take on the Congress government here.

Hours before Shah landed in Bengaluru on Friday late evening, a BJP delegation led by former chief minister Jagadish Shettar submitted a memorandum to governor Vajubhai R Vala regarding appointments to the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) which have led to a debate.

Though the party's state leaders are learnt to have raised issues pertaining to the Congress government in all the three meetings Shah held during the day with leaders, legislators-MPs and office-bearers, his only agenda was membership drive. BJP state president Prahlad Joshi speaking to reporters said though the party wanted to discuss the KPSC appointments, legislation to take over mutts and withdrawal of the anti-cow slaughter bill, Shah had only one subject---`membership drive, membership drive, membership drive.'

"Shah's visit to the state was restricted only to the membership drive. Issues pertaining to state level and taking on Siddaramaiah-government will be handled at the local level," opposition leader in the legislative assembly Jagadish Shettar said after office-bearers meeting.

A press statement released also listed issues attacking Siddaramaiah government on the land deals and law and order. Repeated queries by reporters to explain the nature corruption by the government did not yield answers.

In all the meeting, Shah stressed the need for enrolling 10 crore members by March 31 so that BJP would emerge as the political party having largest number of members in the world, surpassing even the Communist party in China, which is said to have around eight crore members.

To achieve the target of nearly one crore new members from Karnataka, the BJP national president has adopted the carrot and stick theory. Grassroots workers, who enroll at least 100 new members will be considered as "active member" and eligible for promotion as office-bearers at block, district, state level bodies.

Performance of MLAs who don't reach the target of 50,000 new members in their constituencies would be reviewed at the time of ticket distribution for assembly elections.

In a hand out given to legislators, MPs and volunteers, the party has given clear direction not leave any place such as - bus and railway stations, airports, advocates in courts, cinema halls, market places, village fairs, parks, banks, insurance companies, colleges, teachers, paying guests, shopping malls, industry and companies, government offices, social organizations, religious events and programmes, hotels and self-help groups.