All the ruling BJP's 323 members of Parliament have been added to a WhatsApp group set up today, where they will receive important information from the party. Forwarding jokes might not be encouraged.
The lawmakers' WhatsApp activities will be administered by the BJP Parliamentary Party office.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also briefed party lawmakers from Rajasthan about the report card that the BJP will prepare on their performance in Parliament. He reportedly said that this will be a yardstick when new ministers are appointed to his cabinet. A cabinet expansion is expected soon. (
Coming Soon: a Report Card for BJP Members of Parliament)
Sources said Mr Modi asked the 31 BJP MPs -- 25 from Lok Sabha and six from Rajya Sabha -- present how many of them had participated in Parliament discussions or posed questions in House. 12 raised their hands. The Prime Minister advised the others to "be more active" in Parliament.
The MPs have reportedly been told that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is the go-to man if they have any doubts on how they must function. They have also been told that any interaction with the media must have the approval of Mr Jaitley.
The PM has, however, given them the go-ahead to effectively use social media to counter what he called propaganda by the opposition, sources said.
He is expected to hold such meetings with other groups of MPs too.
All BJP lawmakers have already been informed that they will have to check boxes on attendance and participation in the House on report cards. They will be under scrutiny even when Parliament is not in session and, sources said, "non-performers" will get pointed reminders.
The BJP, which registered a landslide victory in the national elections has 280 MPs in the Lok Sabha, 160 of them first timers, and 43 in the Rajya Sabha. Mr Modi has repeatedly made clear that complacency is not an option.
He has also mandated a new roster which places one minister at the BJP headquarters in Delhi every day to ensure that the party and the government are in sync on important matters. (
Roster of Union Ministers Places One a Day at BJP Party Office)