Bhubaneswar: The two-day state executive committee meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) commenced in Kataka on Saturday, with the thrust on upcoming panchayat polls in Odisha.
Odisha BJP’s senior leaders, including Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Deputy CMs KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, state unit president and Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Samal, several ministers, MPs, MLAs brainstormed on the strategy to be adopted by the saffron party so as to consolidate its base ahead of the three-tier panchayat and urban local body (ULB) elections in the state.
BJP’s national general secretary Sunil Bansal, state in-charge Vijay Pal Singh Tomar and state co-in-charge Lata Usendi were also present at the meeting being held at Cuttack Indoor Stadium.
“We will finalise our strategy for the panchayat and ULB elections during the two-day executive meeting. Senior leaders and office-bearers of the party will deliberate on organisational issues and chalk out plan to strengthen the party in Odisha,” said Revenue minister Suresh Pujari.
Panchayat elections in Odisha are due in February-March next year.
Sambalpur MP and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was a notable absentee on Saturday.
“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 organisation in Odisha,” said former Union Minister Bishweswar Tudu.
Pradhan is likely to join the deliberations on Sunday.