Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 4: With just six months left for panchayat elections in the state, the leading political parties – BJD, Congress and BJP – are busy working out their strategies to deliver a knockout punch to their rivals.
Hectic parleys are on to weed out difference among leaders and chalk out plans to counter the opposition. Moreover, induction programme to show the party’s strength seems to have become a regular affair for all the outfits ahead of the polls due in February 2017.
Under attack from opposition Congress and BJP over several issues including ponzi scam, NFSA goof up, Kandhamal firing and Dana Majhi case among others, the ruling BJD is leaving no stone unturned in trying to refurbish its image.
With an eye on the polls next year, BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Sunday held a meeting with the leaders of five districts -Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bolangir, Balasore and Bhadrak. Several ministers and MLAs too attended the meeting.
He reportedly asked the leaders prepare for the polls with renewed vigour. “Our party will focus on strengthening its organisation from the booth level,” BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain said after the meeting.
BJD spokesperson Surya Narayan Patro added that all leaders have been asked to focus on areas where the party is weak.
While the attack on Telkoi MLA allegedly by own party men recently brought the infighting to the fore, an MLA said that they have also been asked sort out the differences between leaders.
Meanwhile, the Congress, which is another victim of intraparty squabbling, is also doing its best to get rid of the same and strengthen the organisaiton.
The party Sunday reinstated former leader and Lanjigarh MLA Shivaji Majhi who was suspended for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities and horse trading during the Rajya Sabha elections in2010.
Former Lok Sabha MP Nakul Nayak, who won from Phulbani in 1989 on a Janata Dal ticket, also joined Congress. The party is currently focusing on Kalahandi, Kandhamal and other tribal dominated district and feels that the induction of these two leaders will help it in wooing dalit and tribal voters.
According to OPCC chief Prasad Harichandan, their induction is significant at a time when the BJD government is allegedly following an ‘anti-tribal’ and ‘anti-dalit’ policy. The party recently announced the formation of a task force for nominating leaders responsible for panchayat polls.
On the other hand the BJP state unit is also finalising its action plan. The party held the election management committee meeting to get ready for the battle.
While the party has decided to go out with a host of issues to attack the ruling BJD and opposition Congress, it has also finalised the plan to field candidates in all panchayat, panchayat samiti, and zilla parishad seats.
Leaders of all three parties also confidently claimed that they would give a tough challenge to their rivals in the elections.
