Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik chairs state executive meeting ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik chaired the party's state executive meeting at party office Sankha Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, Odisha on Friday ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The meeting was attended by MPs, MLAs, heads of different wings of the party, district presidents and office-bearers.
On the party's state executive meeting, BJD MP Amar Pattnaik said, "This is a regular process and in the meeting, we will discuss the preparations regarding the foundation day of our party which will be celebrated on December 26, party organizational matters and 2024 elections."
Industry Minister Pratap Keshari Deb said that this meeting is important considering the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
"There are various development agendas and Lok Sabha polls are on the head. The Party President will take a call on the direction. The final call will be taken by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik," Pratap Keshari Deb said
On Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's statement that BJP will get 15 Loka Sabha seats and get 45% vote in Odisha, Deb said that it was a very ambitious target.
"He has said that about his cadre. Time will tell who is right and who is wrong. We being the party in the government it is on us to defend our target. We are not setting any targets. The people of Odisha will decide who has kept the promises and stood by them. For the last five elections, development has been the only plank and this time also we have the same plank. People of Odisha will decide," he added.
Former IAS officer and CM Naveen Patnaik's trusted associate V K Pandian also attended the meeting. Pandian recently joined the party. Earlier, he had met several ministers, MPs, MLAs and district presidents in different meetings conducted at Naveen Niwas.
Naveen Patnaik has been the Chief Minister since the year 2000. If BJD returns to power in the state in 2024, CM Patnaik will be on the way to becoming the longest-serving Chief Minister of the country.