Odisha Bypoll: Naveen Set To Hit Campaign Trail In Jharsuguda

Jharsuguda: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will campaign for Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Deepali Das in the Jharsuguda Assembly by-election slated to be held on May 10.

The BJD president, who leads the list of 40 star campaigners declared by the ruling party, will visit the Assembly to bolster the electoral prospects of Deepali, party sources said.

During his whirlwind campaign, the BJD chief is likely to hold roadshows to seek votes for party candidate Deepali Das, daughter of slain minister Naba Kishore Das whose murder necessitated the bypoll in Jharsuguda.

However, the schedule for Naveen’s campaign programme is yet to be finalised. The party is yet to finalise the date of the Chief Minister’s Jharsuguda tour.

Senior BJD leader and former Minister Prasanna Acharya, who is the observer for forthcoming by-election, said the date for the Chief Minister’s visit to Jharsuguda for campaign has not yet been decided and the tour programme is being worked out.

While the last date of campaigning for Jharsuguda bypoll is May 8, Naveen is likely to join the electioneering in the first week of next month. In all probability, the Chief Minister will campaign for one day only for the by-election.

The Chief Minister recently campaigned for the BJD candidate Barsha Singh Bariha in Padmapur by-election and addressed three public meetings. The ruling BJD candidate registered a landslide victory in Padampur.

The list of 40 star campaigners of BJD includes the party’s General Secretary (Organisation) Pranab Prakash Das, Vice President Debi Prasad Mishra, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari, Industries Minister Pratap Keshari Dev and Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Naik.