BHUBANESWAR: The newly-elected president of Odisha BJP Samir Mohanty on Friday said he will work to take welfare programmes launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the people.“BJP is gaining popularity in the State because of the diligence and perseverance of the workers who have helped the party win the trust of the people as the voting percentage has jumped to 38 per cent,” Mohanty said after taking charge as president of the State unit.
He said his first priority will be to reach out to the people in 37,000 booths and ensure that they are availing the benefits of several welfare programmes of the Centre. “All party workers and leaders will be involved in this mission as part of an exercise to strengthen the party base at the grassroots,” he added.
Stating that Odisha will have to be made the No 1 State in the country, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said the party is fighting for the people who have been deprived of their rights for the last 70 years. “BJP will have to work as a strong opposition party in the State,” he said.
Union Minister of State for MSME Pratap Chandra Sarangi said leaders of the party will have to work hard unitedly to come to power in Odisha. Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Pradipta Naik said BJP will come to power in Odisha under the leadership of Mohanty.
National BJP vice-president Baijayant Panda said Mohanty will make the entire BJP team number one in Odisha. Mohanty took charge from outgoing president and Kalahandi MP Basant Panda.National general secretary (organisation) Soudan Singh, general secretary and Odisha in-charge Arun Singh, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, senior leaders Manmohan Samal, KV Singhdeo, Bisnu Sethi and Surama Padhi were among others who welcomed Mohanty as the new president.