Bhubaneswar: With date for Bijepur by-poll is expected to be announced anytime in next few days, the BJD camp is in a huddle to fine-tune its strategy.
Ahead of the by-polls early next year, the ruling dispensation Wednesday convened a meeting, presided over by party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, at Naveen Niwas here.
The meeting assumes significance in the back drop of BJP leaders’ claim that the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh results will certainly have an impact in Orissa and increase BJP’s prospect in the coming elections in the state, including the Bijepur by-poll.
The BJD has already announced late Congress MLA Subal Sahu’s spouse Rita Sahu as its candidate for the by-poll, even as both Congress and BJP are yet to announce their respective candidates.
The party has already revamped its organisational structure in Bargarh along with other districts to intensify its activities.
In order to thwart opposition Congress and BJP’s winning prospect in the by-polls, concerned minister from the area, local MLAs, party leaders and observers of party’s Bargarh district deliberated with the party president at length about poll preparations.
During the meeting, the BJD president has reportedly asked the party leaders to reach out to people with the development works and welfare measures BJD government has taken in last 18 years in Bargarh and across state for the benefit of people.
BJD leader and Labour minister Sushant Singh, who claimed that party has already prepared its strategy for the by-polls, said that it was a part of party’s regular review meeting of districts and accordingly the BJD members from Bargarh met the President today.
However, BJD Bargarh district president Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha, after the meeting said, “During the meeting we discussed party’s plan for the by-poll along with other issues. We are sure that we will win the by-poll.”
He also claimed that BJP’s victory in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections will have no impact on the by-poll.
“We will reach out to people highlighting the welfare programmes the Naveen Patnaik led BJD government has implemented in last 17 years,” he said.
PNN
