Pioneer: Naveen may declare war on Centre at rally in Ganjam

Naveen may declare war on Centre at rally in Ganjam

Santanu Barad | Kendrapara BJD to increase cadre base to 40 lakh by 2008 Biju Janata Dal supremo Naveen Patnaik appears to have declared war against the UPA Government at the Centre from his home district of Ganjam, on May 27, if the preparatory meeting of his party leaders of the district, including Energy Minister Surya Narayan Patro, held on Tuesday, is any indication.

Patnaik's scheduled visit to the district has been finalised and he is going to address a huge gathering of the party cadre, including newly elected Sarpanch, Panchayat Samiti members, block chairpersons, Zilla Parishad members and district MLAs at the Khallikote College stadium.

At least 5,000 workers from the grassroots level are expected to attend the meeting, in which Patnaik may urge them to fight against the apathetic attitude of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre. A couple of Ministers are also expected to attend the public meeting, which is going to be held for the first time after the recent panchayat elections.

The preparatory meeting of the party leaders, attended by Minister Patro, was held keeping in mind the importance of the visit of the party supremo. A committee has been formed to look after the details of the public meeting, and the party leaders have been entrusted with various work to ensure that it is a success.

It was evident from the discussion held among the party leaders at the Circuit House that the party is preparing to raise its cadre base to at least 30 lakh by June-end this year and is targeting 40 lakh by 2008.

Various issues may be raised at the Patnaik's public rally against the apathetic attitude, negligence and discrimination of the Central Government towards the State in matters such as the establishment of an IIT. The party cadre would launch a movement in the rural areas where they would create a public opinion among the people about the "anti-people" policy of the UPA Government.

Apart from creating public opinion against the Centre, the BJD cadre would try to generate a favourable opinion for the party by informing the people about the successes and achievements of the BJD-BJP alliance Government during the last seven years.

It may be recalled that Naveen Patnaik, while addressing a meeting of the party's elected block chairpersons and vice-chairpersons in Bhubaneswar earlier this week, had come down heavily on the UPA Government and had declared that the State would no longer approach the Centre with a begging bowl for funds for its genuine requirements and that the State would give a fitting reply to the Centre's attitude.