Poll setbacks: BJP switches into revival mode

BHUBANESWAR: In a move to rejuvenate the party organisations, which have become dormant after repeated poll setbacks since 2009 general elections, the State unit of the BJP has decided to launch an intensive campaign to motivate the cadres.With the organisational elections round the corner, the party has planned to organise padayatras across the State from first week of June. As per the election schedule of the party, membership drive will continue from June 1 to end-July.“The party will take this opportunity to highlight the failures of BJD Government by organising padayatras, rallies and village- level meetings,” BJP vice-president and election-in-charge Golak Mohapatra told this paper. Efforts will be made to create awareness among the people about the ‘misgovernance’ by the Naveen Patnaik Government and the series of scams the Government is involved in. The spread of Left-wing extremists to almost all the districts and abduction of two foreign nationals and a sitting MLA of the ruling party by the Maoists will also be highlighted, Mohapatra said.State-level leaders will visit districts during the membership drive and participate in the padayatras, he said adding, people will be encouraged to join the BJP to fight a corrupt Government.A final list of the party members will be prepared in August and process of election will start from September. The local committees at panchayat level will be formed during September and election to the  mandal (block) committees will be completed by October.Efforts will be made to complete election to the district committees by end-November. “If everything goes as per the plan, election of the State president of the party will be over by December 15,” Mohapatra said.As per the party constitution, the State unit will be eligible to elect a new president and participate in the national organisational poll if elections to more than half the number of district units are complete.The national executive committee of the BJP, which met in Mumbai, decided to hold the election for the national party president any day between December 25 to 30.