BJD bets high on issues to return to power in Odisha for 6th consecutive term

Bhubaneshwar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Odisha’s ruling party led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, on Friday adopted multiple resolutions here at its executive meeting, declaring its future course of actions, especially in view of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

In resolutions marked the party, which has been ruling the state since 2000, betting high on old issues to garner the support of voters.

In one of the 11 political resolutions the party adopted, it declared the party would continue its demand for Special Category State (SCS) status of Special Focus State (SFS) to Odisha.

In another resolution, the party criticised the Union government’s “silence” over the Mahanadi river water management, non-revision in coal royalty.

The regional party also accused the NDA government at the Centre of neglecting the development of railways and national highways in the state.

In another resolution, the party sought exemption of Goods and Services Tax on kendu (also known as Tendu) leaves.

The party decided that it would appeal to the Union government to contain the rise in the prices of essential commodities so as to provide relief to the common people.

Addressing the executive body members, the BJD president and CM Naveen Patnaik said Odisha continued to suffer due to perennial Central neglect. He urged the party members to utilise social media platforms to highlight the state’s legitimate demands and put pressure on the Centre to attain them.

“Since the opposition parties in Odisha are left with no real issues to raise; they are resorting to a misinformation campaign against our party and the government. They will not succeed in their attempt to defame us as people appreciate us for all our good work,” said the CM.

The CM claimed that Odisha's transformation had turned out to be a shocker to the opposition parties and underscored the need for the party workers and functionaries to work hard at the grassroots level to counter the opposition.

Training his gun on the opposition parties, the CM observed that the people of Odisha knew that a thousand lies can never be the truth.

Later, addressing the media, BJD’s senior leader Debi Prasad Mishra said that the centre has been adopting its step-motherly attitude towards Odisha.

“The centre has been indifferent towards its demand for special category status, despite our repeated demands. Because of the Central apathy, we have to fight legal battles over the Mahandi and Polavaram. The party will raise its voice for its demands,” he added.

As part of the preparation for the upcoming elections, the BJD has decided to organise panchayat-level meetings after the celebration of the party’s foundation day. Moreover, a campaign will be launched at the grassroots level from Netaji Jayanti (January 23, 2024) up to Biju Jayanti (March 5) to highlight the achievements of the BJD government and its development agenda being executed in Odisha.

The ruling party has also decided to postpone elections to its oranisational structure by a year.

A resolution was passed at the meeting to hold constituency-wise training programmes for party workers and leaders at Sankha Bhawan, followed by zonal-level training. As per reports, as many as 32 proposals were moved at the meeting while 11 of them were political ones.

The executive body meeting was attended by presidents of the party’s frontline wings and prominent leaders of the party. Notably, the last time the BJD’s executive meeting was in 2020.

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Photograph: Odisha CM and BJD president Naveen Patnaik speaking at the BJD Executive Body meeting