BJD to intensify membership drive, take out annual padayatra amid internal conflict

BJD president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Facing internal discord following its defeat in this year’s Assembly election in Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) announced on Friday (September 27, 2024) that it would ramp up its membership drive and proceed with its annual padayatra, traditionally starting on October 2.

BJD president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held an interaction with members of advisory committees constituted after the party’s debacle in the 2024 election, and spoke to leaders from different districts at Sankha Bhawan, the BJD headquarters, here.

Criticises BJP

“The Bharatiya Janata Party failed to tackle rising prices of essential commodities, bring down crime against women and stop exodus of investors. There has been depression all around in the first 100 days of the BJP government,” said Mr. Patnaik, addressing party leaders.

“In 24 years of the BJD rule from 2000 to 2024, the growth rate in per capita income of Odisha is higher than that of the BJP-ruled double-engine governments in Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Madhya Pradesh,” he said.

Later addressing a press conference, BJD vice-president and senior leader Debi Prasad Mishra said the party would undertake the Jan Sampark Padayatra in two phases from October 2 to 6 and from October 21 to 30. He said the BJD would intensify its membership drive from October 9 to December 9.

“The BJD remains an active party, be it in government or outside. We are the strongest Opposition party in Odisha’s history. The way the BJP government has performed, law and order situation has collapsed and crime against women has increased, people miss the leadership of Mr. Patnaik,” said senior BJD leader Prasanna Acharya.

Recently, the BJD received a jolt when two of its Rajya Sabha members tendered resignation from the Upper House and joined the BJP. The regional party is facing rebellion in many local rural and urban bodies with party representatives switching sides. In the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, many corporators were conspicuous by their absence at the corporation meeting, triggering speculation of a split in the State’s largest urban local body.