BHUBANESWAR: As the two-day visit of BJP national president JP Nadda to Odisha next week is final, the stage is now set for a renewed public outreach of the party in the State ahead of the simultaneous general elections to the Assembly and Lok Sabha in 2024.The first-ever visit of Nadda to the State before the end of his tenure in January 2023 assumes significance as the State unit of the BJP is grappling with the leadership issue for a long time.
“It is very much likely that the issue of leadership and other important matters like election preparation may crop up during the series of meetings lined up with Nadda during his two-day visit here,” said a senior leader who did not wish to be named.
It is not that the Central leadership is not aware of the matter but this required a collective decision. In many states the party had gone to polls without projecting any leader. If the party in its collective wisdom decided to fight the next general election under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi so be it, the party senior said.
Announcing the itinerary of Nadda, State BJP general secretary Golak Mohapatra said the party president will reach here at 10 am on September 29 and then head to the party’s State headquarters in a procession.
Nadda will next proceed to the Janata Maidan where he will address Shakti Kendra workers (panchayat level conference) at 11 am.
After the meeting he will meet party MLAs, MPs, State functionaries, district presidents and pravaris (in-charge of districts and State). In the evening, he will proceed to Puri and stay for the night.The next day, Nadda will visit Shree Jagannath Temple. From there he will leave for Mangarajpur village under Tihidi block in Bhadrak district and meet the family members of late BJP MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi on his 11th day rituals.
On his return from Bhadrak, he will address a joint conference of district level functionaries of BJP’s seven frontal wings at Janata Maidan at 11 am on September 30, Mohapatra added. In the evening, Nadda will leave for Delhi.National BJP general secretary BL Santosh who was on a day’s visit to the State on Friday took a review of the preparations made for Nadda’s visit.