Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik on Thursday campaigned for party nominee Rita Sahu in the Bijepur Assembly seat in western Odisha where bypoll is scheduled to be held on October 21.
Hundreds of supporters stood along the roads when Mr. Patnaik undertook a roadshow and addressed people at several locations urging them to vote for Ms. Sahu for the all-round development of their constituency. Many senior party leaders were also present.
Overnight stay
Mr. Patnaik is scheduled to stay overnight and campaign in different areas on Friday.
Ms. Sahu had won from Bijepur as a BJD candidate when a bypoll was held in the constituency in 2018 following the death of her husband and then Congress MLA Subal Sahu.
As campaigning will come to end on Saturday evening, other major contenders for the seat – Sanat Gartia of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Dillip Kumar Panda of Congress – have also intensified campaign in the constituency.
Many senior leaders of the BJD, the BJP and the Congress have been camping in Bijepur to canvass for votes in favour of their respective candidates.
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who campaigned in the constituency a few days ago, is scheduled to campaign again to seek votes in favour of Mr. Gartia on Friday.
The bypoll was necessitated after Mr. Patnaik, who had won from both Bijepur and Hinjili constituencies, vacated the Bijepur seat.
