BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Saturday asked district observers to submit reports on the reasons behind the party’s defeat in several places in panchayat and urban local body (ULB) elections and suggest steps to be taken for further strengthening the organisation keeping the 2024 General Elections in view.
The Chief Minister started a review of the performance of BJD in panchayat and ULB elections with district observers on Saturday. The process will continue for three days.He reviewed panchayat samiti results, had one to one meeting with the observers and asked them the reasons behind the party’s defeat in some of places in their areas.
The ruling BJD’s success in both the panchayat and ULB elections was unprecedented and the party broke all previous records by winning more than 80 percent of the seats in both the polls. However, in several areas the party faced reverses by yielding to the Opposition BJP. Each of the observers will have to specifically state why a BJD candidate lost the election and also suggest measures to strengthen organisation in their districts.
On the first day on Saturday, the party’s performance in Koraput, Malkangiri, Kendrapara, Balasore, Nayagarh, Angul, Nabarangpur, Dhenkanal and Sundargarh were reviewed.Balasore district observer and former minister Pratap Keshari Deb told mediapersons that the party chief has asked the observers to submit reports within 10 days.
Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera, the party’s observer for Nayagarh district, said that the party lost several seats in Khandapara, Ranapur and Daspalla areas in the panchayat election. BJP won the panchayat samiti chairperson post in Ranapur. A senior leader said that direct interaction of the Chief Minister with the party leaders had stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic for the last two years. He interacted with observers as the Covid cases have come down drastically.