In continuation of its efforts to mobilise support for the party in the impending elections to the gram panchayats, the Bharatiya Janata Party will conduct gram swarajya samavesh in every Assembly constituency in the State. In Dakshina Kannada, the samavesh will be held in BC Road and Puttur on Saturday.
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, Dakshina Kannada district BJP president Sudershan Moodbidri said that the samavesh in BC Road will cover Moodbidri, Mangaluru, Mangaluru City North and Bantwal Assembly constituencies, while the one in Puttur will cover Belthangady, Puttur and Sullia Assembly constituencies.
Mr. Sudershan said that there are 228 gram panchayats in the district and elections are slated in 225 of them.
The party has so far organised Kutumba Milan programmes in 218 gram panchayats where the party activists had had interactions with people, including members of 1,186 teams of Pancharatnas — five-member teams of the party — and the 25,000 Page Pramukhs, both of whom operate at the booth level. In a week’s time, Kutumba Milan will cover all gram panchayats, he said.
The samavesh, Mr. Sudershan said, will be conducted by six teams formed by State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel. At the samavesh, activists in-charge of each panchayat will be called.
The representatives of Shakti Kendra, Maha Shakti Kendra and Mandals will attend. Party legislators will also take part.
“Activists in-charge of panchayats will get an orientation on the campaign and will be spurred to get candidates supported by the party elected in all panchayats,” he said. The party has set a target of holding power in a minimum of 200 gram panchayats in the district. At present, the party was in power in 140 gram panchayats in the district, he said.
Mr. Kateel, Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Shobha Karandlaje, district in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary and BJP State general secretary Mahesh Tenginkai will attend the two samaveshs, he said.
