Odisha: BJP state executive meet begins in Cuttack; party to finalise strategy for panchayat polls

Bhubaneswar: The two-day state executive meeting of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) commenced in Odisha’s Cuttack city on Saturday. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy Chief Ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, BJP Odisha unit president and Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Samal, several ministers, MPs, MLAs and senior leaders of the party attended the meeting. The leaders brainstormed on strategy to consolidate the ruling party’s base ahead of the three-tier panchayat and urban local body (ULB) elections in the state. “We will finalize our strategy for the panchayat and ULB elections in the two-day executive meeting. Senior leaders and office-bearers of the party will deliberate on organizational issues and chalk out plan to strengthen the party in Odisha,” said Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari. Almost all senior leaders of the ruling party except Sambalpur MP and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were present on the first day of the two-day meet. Pradhan is likely to join the meet on its second day on Sunday. “All members of the BJP state executive committee were invited to the two-day meet. We hope that all the invitees will attend the programme and help finalise party’s strategy to strengthen its organization in Odisha,” said former Union Minister Bishweswar Tudu.