Odisha BJP to elect president on Thursday

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jan 12:

Odisha unit of BJP will elect its president on Thursday (January 14). The filing of nominations, election and announcement of winner will be made on the same day.

As per information provided by the party; state executive and state council members will cast their votes to elect the president. Senior BJP leader and national General Secretary Saroj Pandey will supervise the polls as central observer.

The party, however, is trying to select a president on consensus to avoid an open contest between its ranks. A four day long brainstorming sessionhttp://odishasuntimes.com/2016/01/06/four-day-long-session-begins-at-odisha-bjp-hq-before-organisational-polls/ was held at the party headquarters recently to take a call on probable candidature at various levels.

As per sources in the party, leader of BJP Legislative Party Basant Panda continues to be the front-runner for the president position. Incumbent president KV Singh Deo is likely to take over Panda’s role of leader of BJP Legislative Party in Odisha Assembly once Panda is nominated as the president.

Earlier on January 10, polls were conducted and presidents were announced for 30 of its 36 organisational districts in the state http://odishasuntimes.com/2016/01/11/odisha-unit-bjp-announces-district-presidents/. BJP Odisha in charge Arun Singh had stated that the remaining six presidents would be nominated shortly after another round of consultation with concerned leaders.