Mission 2024: BJD Going For A Massive Overhaul At Party Level 

At a time when the Opposition in the State is busy building up leadership to captain their ship, the ruling BJD is busy fine-tuning its election machinery.

In such scheme of things, toeing the adage 'early bird catches the worm', the ruling BJD has launched preparations in right earnest to spruce up its organisational strength before the title fight in 2024 elections. 

After tasting sweet success in panchayat and urban polls, there is a buzz in the political circles that the party will soon be going for a big overhaul - both at government and organisational level.

As per reports, the party is working on a two-pronged strategy. The objective of the strategy seems to be on laying more emphasis at the organisational level,  than on the government. 

Observers make a hunch over the party playing out its tried and tested 2017 formula, this time too. As per the scheme of things, BJD will move out some ministers from Cabinet to the party organisation. Some senior leaders may also be appointed as advisers. The State will be divided into zones and they will be placed under a leader having good organising skills.

There are speculations abuzz that the party will give meaty responsibilities to leaders wielding influence over communities, than on the loyalists. Moreover, the party seems in a mood to give more emphasis to youth, new faces and women in the organisation. 

As social media has emerged as the quintessential tool in both the rural and urban elections held recently, the party will revamp it to make it 2024 ready. Given its, 24-year long stint in power, it is up to envisaging a micro management to blunt the anti-incumbency. 

“We are always with the people. Our leaders, observers and organisational leaders have been discharging their duties entrusted on them from time to time. The final call about distributing responsibilities is always taken by the party supremo,” said BJD Vice President Debiprasad Mishra. 

Echoing Mishra’s opinion, BJD MLA Dhruba Sahu said, “Organisational rejig is a norm in our party. The party’s strength is being assimilated by distributing responsibilities among the strong leaders.”

But political pundits see it as not as easy as it seems to be. They are of the opinion that the balancing act by BJD to take everyone along with it for the big fight of 2024 election will not be all that easy. 

"Several leaders have been imported. Some turncoats have joined the party. For which, the race for post and ticket will be on top gear in BJD. It will be a herculean task for the party to balance the pulls from all quarters," they opined and added that it remains to be seen whether the excluded ministers from the Cabinet will work or sulk.   

“The party is giving importance to overhaul of the organisation. Some leaders will be given the responsibility to work on the weak points identified. But how the left out leaders from the cabinet work for a win at the hustings remains a big question,” said senior scribe Prasanna Mohanty.