Bhubaneswar: Fresh from its spectacular victory in Bijepur, leveraging the legacy of Biju Patnaik appears to be the BJD's top priority as the party gears up to celebrate the 102nd birth anniversary of the former chief minister here on Monday.

"Biju babu's appeal cut across party lines, but it is the BJD that has taken upon itself the responsibility of translating his dreams into reality. Our party led by his son and chief minister Naveen Patnaik is carrying forward the legacy," said former minister and senior party leader Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak. His father Rajkishore Nayak had worked closely with the late leader.

Sources said the BJD would organise a meeting at the party headquarters here on Monday to pay homage to Biju babu, the former chief minister who also held several portfolios at the Centre during his long political career spanning over three decades. Similar events in his memory would also be organised in each Assembly constituency.

Among other initiatives, the BJD would seek to expand its rural outreach programme - Ama Gaon Ama Vikas (our village our development) - as a tribute to the late leader who was keen to involve the rural masses in the process of development by strengthening panchayati raj institutions.

As part of the programme, which seems to have been designed with an eye on the general elections, Naveen had on Saturday flagged off mobile video vans to highlight his government's welfare schemes in villages across the state.

Sources said the BJD came up with Ama Gaon Ama Vikas programme to counter BJP's Mo Booth Sabuthu Mazboot (my booth is the strongest) plank at the booth level.

As the rivalry between the two parties intensified in the run up to last year's panchayat elections that saw BJP winning 297 zila parishad seats, a massive leap from the 36 it had in 2012, the BJD started chalking out counter-strategies.

"We worked hard on our programmes. Our victory in Bijepur is proof that our strategy has paid dividends. Now we are going to take it forward," said a senior BJD leader.

He added that the birth anniversary of Biju babu would provide the party with the much-needed stocktaking opportunity. This would help it fine-tune its strategy for the big battle next year, he said.

Though the year-long Biju Patnaik birth centenary celebrations had concluded on March 5 last year, the hangover is still there. On January 27, leaders cutting across the political spectrum joined former President Pranab Mukherjee in releasing the former chief minister's pictorial biography "The Tall Man Biju Patnaik".

However, not everyone seems to be impressed by BJD's attempt to invest Biju babu with an aura of immortality.

"Every scheme and institution in the state is being named after him. This kind of hero worship is not only politically motivated, but is bound to trigger resentment," said BJP MLA Pradeep Purohit.

Senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik echoed similar feelings.

"There is a deliberate attempt to deify a particular leader. This is not good for democracy," he said.