BJP’s national executive meet to focus on pro-poor schemes

Bhubaneswar: Buoyed by the party’s landslide victory in the recently concluded panchayat polls, especially in the backward districts like Kalahandi and Mayurbhanj, the Odisha unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is banking on the ‘strategies’ for effective implementation of pro-poor schemes of the Centre, during the two-day brainstorming national executive meet of the party beginning here April 15.

The meet which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party national president Amit Shah and senior leader LK Advani among others is expected to delve into the pro-farmer policies being run by the Centre and its reach. Party insiders said, though minutes of the meeting is yet to be framed, it is believed that the party will concentrate on social welfare programmes for the people of Odisha.

“Definitely the party will celebrate the success of panchayat polls. Besides we hope that the PM will announce some special social welfare programmes for the poor and downtrodden,” said BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra.

Party sources said, to maximize the reach of NDA government’s developmental programmes in Odisha, as many as 11 ministers and ten MPs of the saffron party will visit all the 21 parliamentary constituencies and launch road shows. It is not yet decided whether the PM will address a rally in Bhubaneswar, though a show of strength is usually part of the schedule.

Apart from senior party leaders MM Joshi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Venkaiah Naidu and chief ministers of all BJP-ruled states will attend the meeting. As many as forty Central ministers are also scheduled to attend the event.

The choice of venue for the meet also follows BJP's impressive win in panchayat polls in Odisha where it was once a junior partner of the ruling BJD. With rival Congress almost extinct, BJP is trying to emerge as the next alternative in the State.

This will see BJP's first national executive meet in Bhubaneswar after 20 years.