OdishaPlus Bureau
In anticipation of ECI’s notification for conducting polls for the Patkura and Bijepur Assembly seat, the BJP and the ruling BJD are devising their own strategies.
Election in Patkura was put off due to the death of BJD candidate Bed Prakash Agrawalla on April 20, while by-election to Bijepur was necessitated following resignation of CM Naveen Patnaik from the seat. Meanwhile, the BJD has fielded Sabitri Agrawalla, widow of Bed Prakash as nominee for Patkura, but it is yet to declare its nominee for Bijepur.
Patkura has become a prestige issue for BJD supremo Naveeen Patnaik. Prestige is at equal stake for the BJP nominee Bijay Mohapatra.
The BJD sent several MLAs to Patkura Assembly segment to start their poll preparations and campaigning for Sabitri to ensure her victory. Patkura has become a prestige issue for BJD supremo Naveeen Patnaik. Prestige is at equal stake for the BJP nominee Bijay Mohapatra.
A BJD party workers’ meeting was organised recently in Mahakalapada MLA Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak’s Kanchilo village. Several BJD MLA and Ministers, including Praffula Kumar Mallick, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Prasant Muduli, Prasant Behera, Ananata Narayan Jena, Sarada Nayak and Debashis Mahanty, were present. The party is expecting to cash in on the sympathy votes for Sabitri, in addition to CM Patnaik’s image.
The BJP too has started its poll preparations. Several BJP leaders met in Kendrapada with their workers and supporters and discussed the strategies to give a blow to the BJD. State BJP leaders Manmohan Samal, Manas Mohanty, Bhrugu Baxipatra, Dillip Mallick, Bibhu Tarei, Rama Baliarsingh, Bijay Mohapatra, Pravati Parida and the district level leaders of BJP attended.
“We are ready for any challenge in Patkura. The BJD is conspiring to delay the elections here. The local administration will be deployed for its advantage by the ruling party during the polls as it was seen in past elections. But people will vote for Bijay Mohapatra and BJP. The nefarious design will be defeated,” said BJP general secretary Bhrugu Baxipatra.
