With the Rajya Sabha election bugle sounding, the camp of Odisha’s main opposition party, Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has become abuzz with activity.
BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra visited the Assembly on Thursday to purchase six sets of nomination forms, while in the evening, a crucial meeting of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) was held at Naveen Niwas.
Chaired by BJD president Naveen Patnaik, the meeting focused on discussions related to the Rajya Sabha elections. The decision on Rajya Sabha candidates will be taken by Naveen, as the PAC has authorised him for this purpose, according to party sources.
Reliable sources indicate that the meeting also covered other important matters. Topics included organisational programs, the party’s future strategies, and highlighting the BJP government’s failures in fulfilling election promises. During the discussions, leaders emphasised that BJD would bring one such failure to the public’s attention every month. Additionally, the meeting deliberated on further strengthening the student wing organisation.
Naveen reportedly signalled during the PAC meeting that BJD would announce its candidates within the next one or two days. Following Patra’s collection of six form sets from the Assembly today, speculation is rife that BJD might field two candidates. However, party sources clarify that the forms were obtained in such numbers to collect signatures from MLAs (proposers) in advance.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, MLA Pramila Mallik stated that decisions on who will go to the Rajya Sabha and who will be nominated as candidates will all be made by the BJD president. Everyone will abide by whatever decision he takes. On the other hand, the government is not resolving farmers’ issues. We have been protesting on this matter. Discussions were held in the meeting about which issues to take up going forward.
The meeting was attended by Mallik along with Naveen’s political secretary, Santrupt Mishra, senior leader Debi Prasad Mishra, Sanjay Kumar Das Burma, Dr Sasmit Patra, Pranab Prakash Das, Niranjan Pujari, Bikram Keshari Arukha, and Sudam Marndi, while Tukuni Sahu was absent.
