BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday discussed economic issues with Chief Ministers of party-ruled States and laid out his party’s extensive plans to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations in a video-conference address to party MPs, including Union Ministers, and state organisational leaders.

Speaking from the BJP headquarters here, Shah, sources said, asserted that the measures, especially a major cut in corporate tax rate, will give a big boost to economy.      

The Opposition has used the economic slowdown issue to target the Union government, and Shah’s decision to speak to the chief ministers underscores the BJP’s determination to counter the rivals as it gears up for assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana next month.

He was joined by BJP working president JP Nadda and other senior leaders during his address. Shah, who is also Union Home Minister, asked party MPs to start campaigns in their constituencies to propagate Gandhi’s ideals, including on cleanliness, khadi and environment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already asked the party MPs to undertake a 150 km ‘padyatra’ (foot march) between October 2, Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, and October 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.

Party leaders were asked to touch every village in the campaign. The sources said they were also told to clean statues of all icons “irrespective of the ideology they came from” during the exercise. The MPs joined the conference from capital of their respective State.