The party, which has been struggling to return to power in the state since 2000, is trying to enroll more and more people into the party-fold before the forthcoming urban local body polls.

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has begun a membership drive in the state to strengthen the party’s organisation from the grassroots. The party, which has been struggling to return to power in the state since 2000, is trying to enroll more and more people into the party-fold before the forthcoming urban local body polls. “Neither the BJD government in the state nor the Centre has looked after the problems and plights of Odisha police. Development has been mired by corruption and mis-governance. For people who believe in the principles of Congress and want to counter the cadre-based parties’ destructive mindset, we have started the membership drive, said senior Congress leader Rama Chandra Khuntia. Mr Khuntia, however, did not divulge the number of new members the party wanted to enroll during the drive. Commenting on the membership drive of Congress, senior BJP leader Prithviraj Harichandan said, “We are happy that political parties are adopting our ways of strengthening their organisations. However, a party (Congress) that lacks principles, ideology and has no vision can never rebuild its organisation.”