Odisha Bypoll: 13 Workers’ Conferences At Dhamnagar As Naveen Patnaik Campaigns Virtually Today

Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata dal (BJD) president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will on Monday start the virtual campaign for the party candidate Abanti Das for the bypoll to Dhamnagar Assembly constituency in Odisha’s Bhadark district, scheduled to be held on November 3.

According to sources, massive arrangements have been made for workers’ conferences at 13 places – eight in Dhamnagar block and two in Tihidi block – across the constituency during the virtual campaign. At least 5,000 workers are expected at each of these conferences. Ministers, MLAs and senior leaders of the party will also be present.

The plan is to ensure 60,000 to 80,000 workers and voters get to hear the BJD supremo, a senior party leader said.

It was earlier speculated that Naveen might personally campaign at Dhamnagar to counter dissidence with former MLA Rajendra Das having queered the party’s election pitch with his last-minute entry into the fray. The CM had not hit the campaign trail during by-elections to Pipili, Brajarajnagar and Balasore Sadar assembly constituencies amid the COVID pandemic.

BJD has so far won all five bypolls held since 2019 and several ministers and senior leaders of the party are camping in Dhamnagar to keep up the winning streak and steer the party candidate to a comfortable victory.