TV
After Nabarangpur MP candidate Pradeep Majhi, it was Dhenkanal’s MP candidate Abinash Samal who on Thursday poured his heart out in front of his party supremo Naveen Patnaik, pointing out five reasons that proved fatal for BJD in the General Elections 2024.
BJD chief Naveen Patnaik was reviewing the party’s position in Dhenkanal district. There, Samal while giving vent to his annoyance pointed out five reasons that caused the party’s failure in the General Elections 2024.
The five reasons he pointed out were overconfidence, wrong strategies, senior leaders not joining hands, Naveen Patnaik's lack of campaigning and inertia of the party’s IT Wing or Social Media.
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“We had overconfidence that as we were in power for 25 years, we would win another term as well. There was also a lack of coordination and strategic management. Had senior leaders come forward and shared brains; there would have been better results. We couldn’t make the best use of social media as they did,” said Samal.
Some other leaders said the party is preparing for the Panchayat elections.
“There was nothing wrong in our election management. The party has taken a decision not to repeat what it did in the last elections,” observed Sudhir Samal, a BJD leader.
Meanwhile, the party has formed an Advisory Committee, Membership Drive Committee and Programme Implementation Committee. But what surprised many is that Pranab Prakash Das and Manas Mangaraj, who enjoyed clout in the party before the elections, have been kept away from the committees.
After the electoral drubbing, party leaders and workers have been opposing both the leaders. It is being discussed that the party in its move to pacify the disgruntled leaders and members has clipped the wings of Das and Mangaraj.
BJD leader Mahesh Sahu termed the discussions as baseless. “They are very much with us. They are attending meetings and programmes.”
According to political observers, Naveen Patnaik has started uniting his leaders.
“There had never been a dearth of leaders in the BJD. Even today, the party has many leaders. I think the uncertainty that has been created in the party after the elections can be overcome if he takes steps on what the leaders are pointing out,” said Sandeep Mishra, a political analyst.
