Notification For Patkura Assembly Poll Likely Next Week

Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is most likely to announce election date for the Patkura Assembly seat under Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency next week.

The ECI has sought a report from Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Surendra Kumar on the conduct of elections for the Patkura Assembly seat. As the CEO is expected to submit a report this week, ECI is most likely to announce the election date next week.

Meanwhile, BJP candidate for Patkura seat, Bijoy Mahapatra, met senior BJP leaders from Odisha, Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi, former Union minister Jual Oram and the party’s Odisha prabhari (minder) Arun Singh in New Delhi on Sunday in this connection.

On the other hand, the ruling BJD, in a bid to capture the Patkura seat, has engaged senior party leaders, ministers and six elected MLAs of Kendrapara to ensure the party’s victory.

Party sources said a series of meetings are taking place in Bhubaneswar to prepare strategies for the Patkura poll.

Notably, the ECI had cancelled the Patkura Assembly poll following the death of BJD candidate Bed Prakash Agarwala on April 20 and scheduled the poll on May 19. However, because of Cyclone Fani, the Commission deferred the polls, directing the CEO to complete the poll process for Patkura by July 19.