Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], January 21 : The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has appointed MLA Pratap Keshari Deb as the Returning Officer for the party's organisational elections, as per an official office order from BJD chief Naveen Patnaik.
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.
Earlier this month, BJD staged a massive protest in Bhubaneswar led by party president Naveen Patnaik against the BJP government in Odisha over rising prices of essential commodities.
BJD workers and leaders gathered at Lower PMG Square in Bhubaneswar to protest against the BJP government.
BJD MP Sasmit Patra Sasmit Patra alleged, "Odisha is plagued by extremely high price rises and high inflation is happening and affecting the people of the state."
"The BJP government in Odisha has completely failed the people of the state. The price rise of commodities is at an all-time high. From potatoes to onions, rice to sugar, every specific commodity and vegetable in Odisha today is soaring sky-high. This is a fight not only of the BJD. This is a fight of 4.5 crore people of Odisha. CM Mohan Charan Majhi has no clue how to run a government. His entire ministry and cabinet is extremely incompetent." she added.