Ahead of panchayat polls, Odisha Congress to form election committees

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Sep 8:

Odisha unit of Congress today announced to form a Panchayat Polls Committee that will spearhead the preparations for the upcoming panchayat polls scheduled to be held across the state in February 2017.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the coordination committee of the party held at the state headquarters today.

The party also announced to form its state and block level manifesto committees in the meeting — led by party’s Odisha in-charge BK Hariprasad and attended by top leaders of the party including PCC President Prasad Harichandan and Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Narasingha Mishra.

“We have decided to form State Panchayat Polls Committee to spearhead the polls. We will also appoint senior leaders in each of its organisational districts to supervise the poll preparations and formation of task force committees at block and panchayat levels. Besides, observers will be appointed at block level to ensure foolproof preparation,” said Harichandan speaking to reporters after the meeting.

It was also decided to organise demonstrations in front of health centres across the state on September 19 to highlight the plight of healthcare system in Odisha. Further, in the first week of October, the party will take up a ‘Chetana Yatra’ in districts where Mahanadi flows to take its point of view on Mahanadi issue.

Quite to the character of the faction-ridden party, during the course of the four-hour long meeting today, some of the leaders raised the 2014 general election debacle of the party and urged the leadership to introspect. Another leader was seen citing party’s misfortunes in the state since 2000 and demanding a review of performance.

Hariprasad, in his advice to the leaders, urged to ensure proper coordination among the local MLAs, party and the PCC for a better show in the upcoming polls.