OdishaPlus Bureau
With less than a week left for Patkura assembly election in Odisha, the BJD, BJP, and Congress have intensified their campaigns for the July 20 poll to woo the voters. Over a dozen of senior BJD leaders, including cabinet ministers, MPs and MLAs, are camping in the constituency to ensure the party’s victory.
The ruling BJD gave momentum to its campaign to win in Patkura, where it is fighting a battle of prestige. A host of leaders including Samir Ranjan Dash, Atanu Sabyasachi, and Ranendra Pratap Swain have campaigned for the ruling party, apart from BJD MP from Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency, Anubhav Mohanty.
BJD leader and state minister Arun Sahoo said the people of Patkura have full faith in the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Voters will ensure the victory of BJD candidate Sabitri Agarwalla, the wife of former Patkura MLA late Bed Prakash Agarwalla, whose death on April 20 led to the postponement of the polling at Patkura in the fourth and last phase of the general elections on April 29.
Unfazed by the high-profile campaign by the ruling BJD, Bijoy Mohapatra described the ruling party heavyweights visiting Patkura as tourists and said they will make little impact on the electorate.
Bijoy Mohapatra, who has been undertaking a door-to-door campaign, said people of Patkura will teach BJD a lesson and create a new history by for the BJP.
BJP leader and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Sunday visited Patkura to campaign for the party candidate Bijoy Mohapatra.
Pradhan, who attended a number of rallies and public meetings at several places across Patkura assembly segment under Kendrapara Lok Sabha Constituency, expressed confidence that BJP nominee Mohapatra will emerge victoriously
The people of Patkura, who have been neglected during the BJD rule during the last 20 years, are extending overwhelming support to Mohapatra as they have realized that he can give them justice, Pradhan said.
Stating that the people of Odisha have faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Minister said BJP is working in accordance with its own strategy for Patkura to ensure the victory of the party candidate.
Prior to electioneering by Pradhan, BJP leaders including Baijayanta Panda have already campaigned in Patkura for Mohapatra. BJP MP from Bhubaneswar Aparajita Sarangi has also campaigned in the constituency.
Congress, which gave pace to its campaign on Saturday, saw PCC President Niranjan Patnaik and senior leader Narasingha Mishra campaign for party candidate Jayanta Kumar Mohanty in Patkura.
