BHUBANESWAR: Political activities have hotted up across the villages in the State as parties galvanise the organisational machinery at the grassroots for the five-phase panchayat polls beginning February 11.While the BJD sounded the poll bugle on its foundation day celebrations on Monday, president of OPCC Niranjan Patnaik has convened a meeting of State office-bearers on Wednesday to finalise the party’s strategy. The Congress has also chosen the foundation day of the party on December 28 to launch its campaign.The polls will witness triangular contest this time with the BJD, the Congress and the BJP fighting for supremacy. The Left and the NCP will also field candidates but it is not yet clear whether they will have any truck with the BJD or go it alone.The BJD, basking in its victory in Kendrapara urban body polls and bypoll to Umerkote Assembly constituency, has exuded confidence of securing a majority in the zilla parishad polls. The party, which had secured 345 out of 854 seats in the 2007 election, is hopeful of getting close to 600 seats this time around.Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who described the panchayat election as a mid-term election, has asked the party workers to campaign united so that the party can win in a majority villages. “The victory march of the BJD will be in 50,000 villages of the State,” Naveen said, addressing the 14th foundation day function of the party. The BJD leadership has made it clear to ministers, MLAs and senior leaders that their performance will be judged by the election results in their constituency. Despite two consecutive defeats, the Congress is also hopeful of a better showing compared to last elections when the party won 303 seats. The Youth Congress is expected to play a major role in campaigning as youths are likely to get a majority of tickets. Besides, the Mahila Congress is also being strengthened at the grassroots keeping an eye on the panchayat polls.The OPCC, however, dismissed BJD’s assessment of winning close to 600 seats as an exaggerated claim. Party general secretary Arjya Kumar Gyanendra maintained that the Congress is confident of getting more seats than last time.The BJP, the other major player, is also working to improve its tally compared to last election. The party had secured 129 seats in 2007 election.
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