Bhubaneswar, Jan 26 (IANS): The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has dissolved all its state-level frontal organisations. The move comes ahead of the party's forthcoming organisational election.

“All the State level Frontal Organisations of Biju Janata Dal such as Biju Mahila Janata Dal, Biju Yuva Janata Dal, Biju Chhatra Janata Dal, Biju Shramika Samukhya, Legal Cell, Apravasi Cell are hereby dissolved with immediate effect in view of the forthcoming Organisational Election of the Party,” informed an office order issued by the BJD on Sunday.

The party had earlier appointed senior party leader and MLA Pratap Keshari Deb as the state returning officer for the organisational polls for the third consecutive time.

“As per Article-XXIII (2) of the Constitution of Biju Janata Dal, Shri Pratap Keshari Deb, MLA is hereby appointed as State Returning Officer for smooth conduct of the Organizational Election of Biju Janata Dal with immediate effect,” ordered BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Monday.

After getting the responsibility, senior BJD leader Deb thanked Patnaik for appointing him as the state returning officer for the third consecutive time.

He told media persons that the elections to various party organisational bodies will be conducted in four phases.

Deb further added that elections will be held first at the grassroots level, and later at the block level, district level and then the state level.

He also revealed that soon an election schedule will be prepared and election conducting and monitoring officers will be appointed before the start of the organisational elections.

Deb had also informed the media persons that the whole process of organisational polls would be completed within three months. The party aims to strengthen its organisation from the grassroots to the state level keeping in view of the Panchayat and urban local body elections scheduled to be held in 2027.

The party leaders continue to claim that BJD remains the number one political party in the state.