BHUBANESWAR: With election fever running high and Bijepur by-poll witnessing a pitched battle between the ruling BJD and BJP, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will hit the campaign trail on Tuesday.Known for her oratorical skill, Irani, who has emerged as a star campaigner for the party, will address three public rallies for BJP candidate Ashok Panigrahi during her visit to Bargarh district.
The saffron party, which had done exceedingly well in the last elections to the three-tier panchayati raj institutions by winning majority seats in the Bargarh zilla parishad, has lined up a series of Central leaders including Union Ministers for the hustings.The Union Textile Minister, one of the star campaigners of the party, will address her first public meeting at Gaisilet along with top BJP leaders of the State including Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Senior BJP leaders Biswabhusan Harichandan, BJP legislature party leader KV Singhdeo, former MP Sangeeta Singhdeo, national BJP general secretary Arun Singh, Pradip Purohit, MLA and president of Bargarh zilla parishad Mukta Sahu will attend the meeting scheduled at 10 am.
After the Gaisilet meeting, Irani will address another public rally at Bijepur at 11.30 am. Apart from Pradhan and Singh, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, fromer chief minister Giridhar Gamang, former minister Jaynarayan Mishra, Rabi Nayak, MLA and popular cine actor Aparajiata Mohanty will be present. The last public meeting of Irani has been scheduled at Mehrpada at 1.45 pm. Among others, national BJP secretary Suresh Pujari, party MLA Radharani Panda and Odia cine actors Pinki Pradhan and Sritam Dash will accompany Irani, State BJP spokesperson Golak Mohaptra said.
Meanwhile, on the first day of the campaign, the Chief Minister will address a public meeting at Barpali from where he will proceed to Kumari village in the block by attending road shows along the way. He will proceed to Agalpur from Kumari, said Prasanna Acharya, Rajya Sabha member and BJD’s in-charge for the by-poll. Naveen will make night halt at Bargarh.The Chief Minister will address two public meetings at Gaisilet and Bijepur next day. However, there will be no road shows on the second day, Acharya said.
Dharmendra dares Government
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday dared the State Government to hand over Bargarh cash case to Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department.
BJP paying for vote: BJD
Continuing its tirade against BJP for using money power to win Bijepur by-election, the BJD on Monday alleged that the saffron party is promising to deposit `35,000 in the bank accounts of individuals who vote for its candidate.
3 Union Ministers campaign
Desperate to win the Bijepur by-poll, three Union Ministers campaigned for BJP candidate Ashok Panigrahi on Monday.