Bhubaneswar: With Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections fast approaching, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to form a screening committee to identify leaders from other political parties getting attracted towards the saffron party.
The move appears to be in line with the strategy adopted by BJP in the national level to identify and induct leaders from other parties who are keen to join them, sources said.
The proposed panel is likely to focus will be on Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies where the party organisation is weak and BJP does not have sitting MPs or MLAs, TNIE reported.
This information was given by BJP’s Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal after the meeting of the election management committee held in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
While Samal did not elaborate more on the plan, party sources claimed that many leaders who feel sidelined in other political parties, particularly the ruling BJD, are in touch with the BJP for joining it ahead of the elections.
Therefore, the formation of such a committee has become necessary to screen these leaders. Those with winning potential in Lok Sabha and Assembly seats are likely to be considered for induction into BJP in the run up to the elections.
Necessary steps will be taken for formation of the committee after the central leadership approves the proposal. Several senior leaders of the state unit will be tasked with screening of those aspiring to join BJP.
The election management committee of the party met in the presence of Odisha in-charge Sunil Bansal and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. As elections are fast approaching, it was decided that steps would be taken to expedite all organisational preparations and intensify campaign at the grassroots.
BJP has eight Lok Sabha members from the state at present, there are 22 MLAs in the 147-member Assembly.
