Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reached Kandhamal district on Saturday to campaign for the BJD candidates contesting in the two urban bodies of the district.
It hinted that the ruling BJD is not leaving any stones unturned to bag these two urban bodies in the State. Saturday was the last day of campaign in Phulbani municipality and G.Udaygiri Notified Area Council (NAC) in Kandhamal district, where polling would be held on Dec 2. It may be noted these would be last elections in the State before the coming Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.
State Ministers Bikram Keshari Arukh and Debi Mishra, more than 10 BJD MLAs and BJD MP of Phulbani monitored the campaign process. The party did not forget to use star power in its efforts to woo voters. Cine star-turned-Berhampur MP Siddhant Mohapatra campaigned at G.Udaygiri. Another cine star-turned-BJD member Anubhav Mohanty also airdashed to Phulbani by helicopter on Friday to campaign for the ruling party candidates.
The Chief Minister reached G.Udaygiri by helicopter and after his campaign there he airdashed to Phulbani. In both places he was taken around different wards of the urban bodies in bike rallies. Speaking to newsmen, Mr Patnaik claimed that the BJD would surely bag these two urban bodies. He promised that his government would make all possible efforts for development of urban bodies in Kandhamal district. The BJD also made upcoming drinking water project for Phulbani town an issue during the campaign.
On the last day of the campaign president of the Odisha unit of Women’s Congress Bijaylaxmi Sahu canvassed for the party candidates in Phulbani. Former state president of the BJP, Sarat Pujari also got involved in door-to-door campaign in Phulbani.
Phulbani municipality and G.Udaygiri NAC have 13 wards each. In the last urban body polls the BJD and the BJP were allies and the BJD had won in four wards of Phulbani municipality while the Congress had won in five. But with the support of two BJP and two independent ward members the BJD had bagged the post of chairperson of Phulbani municipality. This time the BJD wants to get clear majority in this municipality. Because of it, the BJD has this time fielded the two independent ward members of last municipal council as BJD candidates.
In the 13-member G.Udaygiri NAC, the Congress had six ward members.
This time the BJD wants to snatch post of chairman of G.Udaygiri NAC , while the Congress is trying to retain its hold over this urban body.
