BJD dissolves its frontal organisation ahead of the organisational elections

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], January 26 (ANI): Biju Janata Dal on Sunday dissolved all its state level frontal organisations ahead of the organisational election of the party, as per an official order of BJD chief Naveen Patnaik.
The frontal organisations that have been dissolved are Biju Mahila Janata Dal, Biju Yuva Janata Dal, Biju Chhatra Janata Dal, Biju Shramika Samukhya, Legal Cell, Apravasi Cell.
BJD Spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said that the organisational election will be held within two months and after that new committees will be formed.
"BJD has dissolved all its state-level frontal organisations including women, youth, students labour front & legal cell. BJD election will be held within two months. A New Committee will be formed. Senior party leader Pratap Kesari Dev was appointed as the state Returning officer to conduct the election." Mohanty said.
Earlier this week, BJD appointed MLA Pratap Keshari Deb as the Returning Officer for the party's organisational elections.
The order, issued on Monday, reads: "As per Article XXIII (2) of the Constitution of Biju Janata Dal, Pratap Keshari Deb, MLA is hereby appointed as State Returning Officer for smooth conduct of the Organisational Election of the BJD with immediate effect."
Speaking to ANI after his appointment, Pratap Keshari Deb said, "I would first and foremost like to thank BJD President Naveen Patnaik for appointing me as the State Returning Officer for the third consecutive time. In the changed scenario, the party elections will be held after the general elections, and we are not in the government."
"The party elections will be done in 4 phases after the polls. First at the grassroot level, then the block level, district level and then the state level. For that an election schedule will be prepared and election conducting and monitoring officers will be appointed then the process will start soon," Deb said.
The organisational elections are being conducted after party lost power in Odisha under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik.
The Biju Janata Dala, which has ruled Odisha since 1997, lost to the BJP, breaking the 24-year-old reign of Naveen Patnaik as the Chief Minister. The BJD won 51 out of 147 seats, while the BJP secured a majority by winning 78 seats. (ANI)