From this city, the party will amplify a plan that its president Amit Shah has drafted to expand the party's footprint in areas so far unconquered, as part of its strategy for 2019.
The BJP's recent electoral victories — in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand last month besides the eight-fold increase in votes in local bodies in Odisha-- will set the tone for the party conclave in Bhubaneswar this weekend.
From this city, the party will amplify a plan that its president Amit Shah has drafted to expand the party's footprint in areas so far unconquered, as part of its strategy for 2019. Odisha is part of this mission, in which the party has identified around 115 seats along the Coromandel coast, south and east.
The last BJP national council meet was held in September 2016 in Kozhikode, Kerala, which was identified as a "catchment area" for the party in 2019. However, it is in Odisha that the party is anticipating big gains, particularly after the local body elections where it has increased and managed to push the Congress to third position and become the main opposition party.
The BJP is leaving no stone unturned to strike a chord with people of the state, from its 200-year-old history of Paika rebellion to opening its doors to leaders from the ruling Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD). "We want to strengthen our party. Whoever is committed to the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah are welcome to join us," petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.
Just a fortnight ago, BJD MP Thatagata Satpathy had tweeted alleging that BJP was trying to divide his party. A day later, his party colleague Jay Panda wrote an article calling for introspection and taking on Patnaik. The BJP saw an opportunity to make the most of the fissures within the BJD, which has been in power in Odisha for 17 years.
The Bhubaneswar BJP meet will also be the first after the recent assembly polls and coincides with the Modi government's third anniversary. The meeting which will take place on April 15 and 16, will see families of freedom fighters of Paika rebellion being felicitated. BJP views its rising vote share as an indication of a "positive" trend.
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