BJD single largest political party in Odisha: Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, Oct 9 (PTI) The Biju Janata Dal is the single largest political party in Odisha, Naveen Patnaik claimed on Wednesday while launching the membership drive of the regional outfit.

Calling himself a proud BJD member, Patnaik became the first to renew his BJD membership. He launched the membership drive of the BJD both online and manually on the birth anniversary of Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das.

"BJD is the single largest party in Odisha. People voted in large numbers for BJD in the last general elections and the party is in the hearts of the people. All of us are proud to become workers of the BJD," he said.

Patnaik said his party continued to serve the people of Odisha on the ideals of "sacrifice and service". He said membership drive is an important activity of any party and it strengthens the organisation.

Sacrifice and service were the motto of Gopabandhu Das which Pataik said his party is following.

Apart from including people in Odisha as BJD's member, Patnaik also invited those living outside the state. "I want the people outside the state to also become members of the BJD. For them, the party has made online arrangements to register their membership," Patnaik said.

Noting that the people across India and abroad understand the ideals of the BJD, Patnaik said his party leaders will go from door to door and apprise the public about the aim and objectives of the regional party. The party is dedicated to protect the interest of Odisha, he said.

Without taking the name of BJP, Patnaik said: "Some parties are using miss call as a mode of membership drive. Missed call dairy is their membership book. However, we are much above that process. Our party leaders will approach the people directly to become a member of the BJD." Stating that self-respect and struggle are the motto of the BJD, Patnaik said that Biju Patnaik (the party is named after Biju Patnaik's name), Patnaik said: "Biju Babu fought till the end for the service of the people of Odisha, for the protection of the self-respect of the Odia and for the interests of Odisha." The BJD president claimed his party's government has done a lot of good work for the state and it has become a model for others including the Central government which often followed the Odisha government’s schemes.

Patnaik said that no one can deprive the people of Odisha from the development and welfare schemes launched by the BJD government.

The BJD’s membership drive which is launched every three years will continue till December 9 for two months. The members will be accepted from all assembly constituencies. Those who become members online will also be contacted by our leaders, said BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra.

Mishra said that the BJD membership drive will also be carried out in all the district headquarters. "Focus will be on students and women. The members will be accepted both online and offline," he said.

From ward, panchayat to constituency, various assemblies, committees will be formed to fulfil the objectives of the membership campaign. The party last time had more than 10 million members and this time, the target is to cross the previous number, Mishra said. PTI AAM AAM RG