Bhubaneswar: BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik launched the party’s membership drive at its headquarters here on Monday.
Naveen asked party leaders to focus on recruiting women, farmers and youth during the two-month-long drive that will continue till October 31. Naveen himself was the first to renew his membership, from the Bhubaneswar-Ekamra constituency, during the drive.
Addressing party workers, Naveen said, “The BJD is the party of the people of Odisha. It has got the blessing of each village, town and household. We will meet them again through this membership drive.”
The drive, which will be held both online and offline, aims to induct at least four active members from each ward, five from each NAC, 15 from each municipality and 40 from each corporation. Each member is expected to rope in another 24 others. The party has 47 lakh members at present and it is hoping to increase this to one crore at the end of the drive. “I am confident that the drive will be successful with the cooperation of the people,” Naveen said.
The BJD has asked new members to provide their Aadhaar member and voter ID number during the enrolment. “The Aadhaar number will be linked with the information that the new members provide to the party,” Mishra said.
However, opposition parties have criticized the move. “It seems to be an effort to keep the people under BJD’s control. If any member thinks of joining another party, BJD can intimidate them,” said Samir Mohanty, state BJP’s vice-president.
Senior congress leader Jaydev Jena also said this would keep the people bound to the party. “Once the Aadhaar of a person is linked with BJD’s website, they will be given freebies from government schemes.”
BJD’s senior leader Prasanna Acharya said, “No such thing will happen. It seems more than the people, opposition parties are feeling threatened by our membership drive.”
A state-level committee has been formed to monitor and coordinate the drive. The convenor of the membership drive, Debi Prasad Mishra, as well as all BJD MLAs, MPs and members were present at its launch.
Naveen asked party leaders to focus on recruiting women, farmers and youth during the two-month-long drive that will continue till October 31. Naveen himself was the first to renew his membership, from the Bhubaneswar-Ekamra constituency, during the drive.
Addressing party workers, Naveen said, “The BJD is the party of the people of Odisha. It has got the blessing of each village, town and household. We will meet them again through this membership drive.”
The drive, which will be held both online and offline, aims to induct at least four active members from each ward, five from each NAC, 15 from each municipality and 40 from each corporation. Each member is expected to rope in another 24 others. The party has 47 lakh members at present and it is hoping to increase this to one crore at the end of the drive. “I am confident that the drive will be successful with the cooperation of the people,” Naveen said.
The BJD has asked new members to provide their Aadhaar member and voter ID number during the enrolment. “The Aadhaar number will be linked with the information that the new members provide to the party,” Mishra said.
However, opposition parties have criticized the move. “It seems to be an effort to keep the people under BJD’s control. If any member thinks of joining another party, BJD can intimidate them,” said Samir Mohanty, state BJP’s vice-president.
Senior congress leader Jaydev Jena also said this would keep the people bound to the party. “Once the Aadhaar of a person is linked with BJD’s website, they will be given freebies from government schemes.”
BJD’s senior leader Prasanna Acharya said, “No such thing will happen. It seems more than the people, opposition parties are feeling threatened by our membership drive.”
A state-level committee has been formed to monitor and coordinate the drive. The convenor of the membership drive, Debi Prasad Mishra, as well as all BJD MLAs, MPs and members were present at its launch.
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