Bhubaneswar, Dec. 28: With the announcement of schedule for the panchayat polls, the three major political parties in the state - the ruling BJD and Opposition Congress and the BJP - have geared up their party machinery to fight the electoral battle.

While the BJD had already started its campaign with the celebration of its 19th foundation day on Monday, the Congress today utilised its 131st foundation day to gear up its ranks and files for the polls.

The BJP has been holding its district unit chief meets for the last two days. Yesterday, a meeting of its office-bearers was held and today the state-level core committee met to finalise its electoral strategy.

Targeting the BJD and the BJP, Congress state chief Prasad Harichandan said both parties were flush with cash, as they had "converted their black money into white following demonetisation".

"They will spend money lavishly to influence the voters during the panchayat polls. We, on the other hand, will cash upon our public contact and will power," said Harichandan.

The Congress leaders criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leaders for the demonetisation move and also chief minister Naveen Patnaik and his party for supporting it. "Modi openly praised Naveen for supporting demonetisation. This proves that both were comrades at arms," said a Congress leader.

Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmenda Pradhan, who is being projected as the poster boy for the party, today hit out at the Congress saying: "Gandhi family and the Congress leaders were in trouble as they were embroiled in corrupt deals like the Augusta Westland scam."

Accusing Naveen of "bluffing" the poor about providing them 10 lakh concrete houses, Pradhan alleged that the state government had failed to fulfil its electoral promises and was trying to hijack the success of central schemes. Recently, the chief minister and his government had used the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for propaganda purpose and conveniently mentioned only "Awas Yojana", he said.

The BJD, however, rebuffed the Opposition's allegations. "It seems that the Congress and the BJP have admitted their defeat in the coming panchayat polls from now," said BJD spokesperson Samir Ranjan Dash."It has been proved that the Congress is the fountain head of corruption and black money," he said.

Regarding the BJD government's claim about providing 10 lakh concrete houses to the poor during the last two years, he said: "All the details are in the public domain. We don't need to give any account to the BJP."