Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee today launched the membership drive with great fanfare. The occasion coincided with the 95th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Ms Indira Gandhi. Besides making new members, the membership of old members will also be renewed.The leaders also paid floral tributes to the portrait of Ms Gandhi at the PCC.The membership drive was launched by the senior party leaders who included the party general secretary and incharge for Punjab Thakur Gulchain Singh Charak, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh, the Congress Legislative Party leader Sunil Jakhar, PCC general secretary Arvind Khanna and others. Besides, the PCC office bearers, the district presidents and MLA were also present.Capt Amarinder filled the first membership form. He was followed by the CLP leader Mr Jakhar in presence of Mr Charak. The membership drive will continue till 2015. The drive will include enlisting members from the booth level to the state level.Speaking on the occasion Mr Charak said, a foolproof mechanism has been evolved to ensure that the membership drive remains credible. He said, after the completion of the membership drive identity cards will be issued to the members.Addressing the meeting Capt Amarinder said, the membership had special significance for Punjab for two reasons. One that the ruling Akali Dal had unleashed a reign of terror on the Congress workers forcing them to leave the party and join the Akali Dal and second it was important from the point of view of the General Elections scheduled for 2014.The PCC President maintained that the membership drive will restore the confidence of the workers at the grass-roots level. He urged the office bearers, district presidents, MLAs and ex-MLAs and other prominent workers present on the occasion to ensure that they reach out to all the workers to boost their morale.He said, the membership drive will have a positive impact during the run up to the parliamentary elections as it will help in mobilising the cadres. He expressed confidence that the party will enrol maximum number of members and break all previous records.