LOOKING AHEAD: AICC general secretary V. Narayan Swami at a review meeting on State Congress' performance in the last panchayat election in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

BHUBANESWAR: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and opposition Congress on Sunday decided to strengthen their support base by taking along panchayati raj institution (PRI) representatives with them during next few months.

While Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) chalked out agitation programme to highlight issues of corruption and misuse of funds released under Central Government schemes, the BJD said it would largely concentrate on primary membership drive.

Dissidence

Addressing separate press conferences here on Sunday, leaders of the two parties, however, tried to tone down increase in dissidence activities within their parties.

"The party could have put up a better performance in the last panchayat elections. But the BJD resorted to use of money and muscle power that dented our prospects. The ruling alliance misused the administrative machinery and Election Commission also could not perform its duty in an impartial manner," AICC General Secretary V.

Narayan Swami alleged here.

He said the party would raise issues of corruption, diversion of Central funds and renaming of Central schemes by organising agitations at block, district and state level.

In the extended executive body meeting of OPCC, the issues of dissidence activities within party, role of PRI representatives, people's movement against displacement, reservation for OBCs and State finance were discussed threadbare. The executive body meeting passed four resolutions for taking up issues in future.

Even though Mr. Swami admitted that many dissent voices had cropped up in the meeting on various issues, he refused to comment on the issue of leadership change of the State Congress.

Contrary to attacking posture of Congress, the BJD decided to solicit views of PRI representatives on strengthening its organisation at eight zonal meetings to be held during next few months.

"We are going to launch membership drive which would see our primary members' base swelling from the present 23 lakhs to 30 lakhs by June 30. By January 2008, we want to make it 40 lakhs. All PRI representatives will make their concerted efforts to achieve the target," State Energy Minister and BJD general secretary Surya Narayan Patro said.

He said 32 organisational district presidents and secretaries discussed several issues and challenges faced during the panchayat elections in the two-day-long meeting which was presided by party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

"We are again going to meet on May 19 and 20 to discuss organisational affairs here." Mr. Patro, however, tried to avoid queries on non-participation of BJD secretary general and former panchayati raj minister Damador Rout in the crucial meeting.

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