BJP President Amit Shah has asked party workers to strengthen the nationalist ideology saying it is the essence of the party. Addressing a function on BJP's foundation day in New Delhi today, Mr. Shah said several party leaders have scarified their lives for the sake of this ideology and party workers should not allow it to be affected in any way. <br/><br/>He also urged them to work for strengthening the party at grassroots level so that in the next 25 years it can register victory from Panchayat to Parliament elections. <br/>Hailing the NDA government's initiatives, Mr. Shah said it is the first time that any government is really working for the betterment of poor, labourer, farmer and other lower sections of the society. <br/><br/>The BJP Chief also asked workers to publicise the government's policies and programmes among the people and also give feedback about the impact of center's work. <br/><br/>It was on this day in 1980, BJP was formed. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was its first President. In 1984 general elections, the party opened its account with only two seats. However, in 1989 polls, party performed exceptionally well. and won 85 Lok Sabha seats. Then it never looked back. In 1996, the party formed coalition government led by Mr. Vajpayee which survived for just 13 days. <br/><br/>In 1998 it again rose to power in coalition for 13 months. Later in 1999, the party got another mandate and formed government with Mr. Vajpayee as Prime Minister which lasted full term. But in 2014 elections, for the fist time the party under the leadership of Narendra Modi got absolute majority.