After a dismal show in the recently concluded panchayat and urban body elections, the Odisha unit of Congress is now all set to intensify membership drive to strengthen its organisational structure in the State.
According to sources, the party has now decided to aggressively expand its online membership initiative commenced in November last year to increase its support base.
Sources in the party said, those who take the membership by March 31 can participate in the party’s organisational elections.
Congress has scheduled the organisational elections after March 31. The election to the block Congress committees will be held in the first phase followed by district Congress committees, sources said adding that, the election for the Pradesh Congress Committee will be held in August.
“We have intensified our membership drive. The Pradesh Congress Committee is working on the listing of the persons who have already taken the party’s membership. The membership drive will conclude on March 31,” said Congress MP Neeraj Dangi.
The party will also launch nation-wide demonstrations protesting the price hike in fuel and other essential commodities.
As part of the nationwide protest, the party will organise rallies and protest marches across the country from March 31 to April 7.
“The All India Congress Committee has decided to launch agitation programmes in three phases. The protests will be launched at block-level on March 31, while from April 2 to 4 it will be conducted at district-level. A State-level agitation will be held in Bhubaneswar on April 7 which is expected to be graced by many senior party leaders," said Rudra Raju, OPCC deputy in-charge.