BHUBANESWAR:In a bid to reorient leaders towards grassroots politics, president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik on Thursday made it clear that those who will work with the people in rural areas will be given tickets to contest the next Assembly elections. He also asked the district committees to form Whatsapp group and raise local issues instead of national and international issues.
Talking to mediapersons after presiding over the first meeting of the 23 newly elected District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents and working presidents at Congress Bhawan here, Patnaik said indiscipline in the party will not be tolerated. Leaders with winning possibilities will get tickets, he added.
Working president Chiranjib Biswal warned that action will be taken against those indulging in indiscipline. Instead of speaking anything against any party in media, leaders have been asked to lodge their grievances in party forum, he said.
Sources said action plans have been prepared for district presidents and working presidents. Working presidents of the districts will be given responsibilities of Assembly constituencies in their area.
Besides, district presidents were asked to constitute district committees within a time frame without delay. Besides, district presidents were asked to open the Congress offices at the district headquarters for six to eight hours daily.
The DCCs will submit report about the organisational activity of the party twice a month. “From the report, it will be known in 3-4 months as to who is working at the grassroots and accordingly the party will select the candidate for the forthcoming elections,” Patnaik said.
Out of the 33 organisational districts, working presidents have not been appointed in five districts while the remaining 28 districts have got 54 working presidents. Besides, the party has decided to consider according block status to all Zilla Parishad zones by the end of June and appoint president for each block.