Bhubaneswar: With polling on February 16, campaigning ends on Monday evening for the first phase of the three-tier, five-phase panchayat elections in Odisha.
Poll officials on Monday left for 11 districts — Balasore, Bhadrak, Khurda, Nayagarh, Puri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Boudh, Rayagada and Koraput. Officials will leave for the rest 19 districts on Tuesday.
Parties have gon
e all out to woo voters, even roping in star campaigners. Here are some of the star campaigners during the first phase:
Varsha Priyadarshini
The actress campaigned for the BJD candidate in Brahmapur panchayat of Bhadrak block.
Asrumochan Mohanty
The Ollywood actor campaigned for Jagya Hentala, BJP’s Zilla Parishad candidate from Zone-2 of Borigumma Block in Koraput.
Kawasi Lakhan
The Chhattisgarh’s Excise Minister campaigned for the Congress candidates in Rayagada’s Kasipur and Tikiri, and in Bisamcuttack and Munniguda.
Tamanna, Poonam & Debashis
Several Ollywood actors including Tamanna, Poonam and Debashis campaigned for the BJD with local MLA Srikant Sahoo in Zilla Parishad Zone 38, 39 and 40.