AAP activists hold rally in Bhubaneshwar

BHUBANESWAR: Enthused by victory in Delhi polls, Aam Aadmi Party today took out a 'Parivartan Yatra' (march for change) here in an efforts to strengthen and expand its base in Odisha and to emerge as an alternative force.

AAP activists took out a rally and gathered as Mahatma Gandhi Marg, where party leaders expressed optimism that the party could work towards providing a "viable alternative" to the ruling BJD in Odisha despite its present limitations in terms of resources and membership.

"Today's programme was primarily to celebrate AAP's electoral victory in Delhi and also to gear up for galvanising party organisation in Odisha," AAP's state convenor Dhanada Mishra said.

"We are aware of our limitations in Odisha, but we are making sincere effort to strengthen the party's base through several initiatives like 'Mission Vistar', which aims at forming booth-level committees," Mishra said.

He said party cadres were in an upbeat mood after the landslide victory in Delhi polls and their enthusiasm could play a significant role in galvanising the party.

Strategies would be chalked out for strengthening the party in Odisha soon, another senior AAP leader said adding people of the state were looking for an alternative to the ruling BJD and the party would endeavour to provide it.

"The wave that started in Delhi has begun to flow across the nation and Odisha is not left behind. AAP has been gearing up to take the message to the people of the state through its massive 'mission vistar' programme," AAP's Odisha unit secretary Bharadwaj Mishra said.

"AAP will start a citizen consultation process like in Delhi following the strategy of its national counterpart to understand the real issues of people directly from the masses," Mishra said, adding, the party will launch initiatives and programmes to make people aware of the options available to them.