Be prepared, Naveen tells BJD observers amid early poll buzz

BHUBANESWAR:  Amid talks of early elections in Odisha, Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday met observers of eight districts to review poll preparedness of the party. 
Though there has been no official announcement of the party regarding the meeting, sources maintained the observers were asked to remain prepared for elections whenever held.

The party has already started the exercise for facing early elections for Assembly and Lok Sabha simultaneously if the situation demands. Meetings with district observers will be held in phases and completed by September-end. The party has also decided to organise meetings of leaders from all the 147 Assembly constituencies in phases keeping in view the early elections.

A committee of senior leaders of the party including general secretary (organisation) Pranab Prakash Das, former Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya, Rajya Sabha members Sasmit Patra and Manas Ranjan Mangarah has been formed to finalise the issues which will be given priority in the elections.

However, the state government is yet to decide when to convene the monsoon session of the Assembly. Governor Ganeshi Lal will leave on a eight-day visit to outside the state from Thursday and return on September 8 evening. There has been no official communication from the state government on convening the monsoon session.

Sources said the monsoon session can be convened on September 23 at the earliest. The state government is planning to bring a supplementary budget of `25,000 crore during the session which is considered to be the last before the next elections. Official sources said a meeting of the chief minister with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also on cards within a week. 

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