After BJP, BJD sets target to enrol more than one crore members

BHUBANESWAR: Amid the ongoing membership drive of the BJP with a target to bring more than one crore people of the state into its fold, rival BJD is all set to launch its own campaign with similar enrolment goals from October 9. The two-month-long drive will be launched by party president Naveen Patnaik.

Announcing this at a media-conference here on Sunday, chairman of the BJD steering committee Debi Prasad Mishra said the focus will be on enrolling more youths and students. The party has constituted a 21-member committee headed by former minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak to achieve the target fixed by the party supremo. The effort will be to consolidate the existing members and bring in new members, he said.

Mishra said the committee has decided to launch membership drive in the digital mode in a big way this time. Besides, public meetings will also be held at panchayat, block and Assembly constituency level to enrol members. Party MLAs, defeated candidates in last elections and local leaders have been given a major role to achieve the target, he said.

Naveen has written a letter to all MPs, MLAs, district presidents and other leaders in this regard. The annual Jana Sampark Padayatra of the party will be also held for 15 days in two phases from October 2. The failure of the state government in fulfilling election promises should be highlighted during the padayatra, the party supremo has said.