Political parties kicks off mass awareness programme in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Oct 2 (UNI) The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the BJP and the major Opposition Congress in Orissa chose the Gandhi Jayanti day for launching their mass awareness campaign in the event of any possible election in near future.

While the BJD, led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, began a ten-day ''Jana Sampark Abhijan'' across the state, the Congress launched the ''padayatra'' from the foothill of Dhauli in presence of newly appointed AICC general secretary and in charge of Orissa affairs Ajay Makan.

Ruling alliance partner BJP preferred to hold a close door meeting with senior party leaders and resolved that all the front ranking leaders would tour the districts and blocks to strengthen their bases.

The ruling BJD had decided to undertake a statewide padayatra till October 11 to educate the people about the achievements of the government and launch a massive membership drive, while the Opposition Congress made it a point to expose the ''failure'' of the ruling BJD-BJP government in the state on all fronts.

Mr Patnaik asked the party workers to prepare themselves for the elections and take all steps to counter the vilification campaign, launched by the Congress to defame the government.

AICC Secretary Ajay Maken rushed to Kashipur, where cholera had assumed an epidemic form claiming several lives of the tribals in the recent past, to launch the Congress campaign against the ruling BJD-BJP in the state.

UNI