BJP launches public outreach campaign in Odisha, plans 4 massive rallies

BJP state general secretary Prithwiraj Harichandan said the outreach campaign was part of a national plan and will help keep the party ready in case the assembly elections are advanced

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has kicked off a massive public outreach programme that will include public rallies by the party’s top leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president JP Nadda, party leaders said on Thursday.

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BJP state general secretary Prithwiraj Harichandan said the outreach campaign was part of a national plan and would help keep the party ready in case the assembly elections, scheduled to be held in May 2024, are advanced.

“We are keeping our cadre ready in case elections are advanced. Even if the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) prepones elections, it would not be able to stave off defeat. About 80% of BJD leaders are mentally ready to quit the party and join BJP,” he claimed.

Senior BJD leader Debi Mishra last month said the possibility of early elections could not be ruled out. “It is a possibility, provided the Election Commission wants Odisha to go to elections with five other States scheduled next after Karnataka,” he said.

The BJP won 23 of Odisha assembly’s 146 seats in the 2019 assembly elections and emerged as the second-largest party in the state elections with 32.5% vote after the ruling BJD which won 112 seats and a 42.7% vote share.

Harichandan said the BJP will focus on the Lok Sabha seats it lost in the 2019 elections. “We have set a target to reach out to all households covered by 37,606 booths in the state. Around 5 lakh BJP workers will participate in the campaign and explain to people the politics of development of the Modi government and its achievements during the last nine years. The district units have to reach out to 250 families of influential persons. Local MPs and MLAs will reach out to intellectuals, media personnel, young achievers and people belonging to different categories and share details on the achievements of the NDA government,” he said.

The BJP has also planned four rallies proposed to be addressed by PM Modi, Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh among others.

The party is also analysing the reasons for its defeat in seven assembly by-polls including the recent Jharsuguda bypoll held after the 2019 assembly elections as well as its sub-par performance in the 2022 panchayat and urban body polls. The BJP secured a 30% vote share in the 2022 panchayat polls and won 16 of the 108 municipal chairman posts as against 76 won by the BJD.

BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said he would not be able to comment on whether early polls would be held, but it is quite common in politics for politicians to switch allegiance. “BJP MLAs are in touch with our party while our MLAs are in touch with their party,” he said.