BHUBANESWAR: The organisational polls of ruling BJD will be held in five phases from December 27 to February 26. Though re-election of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as president of BJD remains only a formality, a new set of office-bearers of the regional outfit are going to be elected. The polls will be held across 33 organisational districts.
Announcing this at a media conference here on Friday, State Returning Officer (SEO) of BJD Pratap Keshari Deb said in the first phase election between December 27 and January 13, presidents and committee members of gram panchayats and wards in urban areas will be elected.
The second phase polls will be held between January 14 and January 29 to elect president of block committees and members in rural areas and presidents and committee members of Notified Area Councils (NACs) in urban areas.
Deb said the third phase will be held from January 30 to February 15 in which district committee presidents and members will be elected. Members of the State council will be elected in the fourth phase polls to be held from February 16 to 18. Election for State Working Committee members and State president will be held in the fifth phase to be held between February 23 and 26. He said returning officers for 33 organisational districts have been appointed and trained for smooth conduct of poll process. Assistant returning officers have also been appointed at the block level, he said.
The membership drive of the BJD was extended to achieve the target of enrolling one crore members. BJD general secretary Bijay Nayak was also present.