BARGARH : Desperate to win the Bijepur by-poll, three Union Ministers campaigned for BJP candidate Ashok Panigrahi on Monday. During the third leg of their campaign, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram along with Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Giriraj Singh trained their guns on Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government and accused it of all-round failure despite being in power for the last 18 years in the State. They said the law and order situation in the State is at its lowest ebb and urged people to vote for Panigrahi.
Union Petroleum Minister Pradhan addressed public meetings at T Gondpali, Badabrahmani, Gandiapali, Saipali, Beniachal, Laumunda, Patharla and Badbaunsen. Similarly, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Oram addressed gatherings at Raksa, Charpali and Samleipadar while Singh, flanked by senior BJP leader Biswabhusan Harichandan, campaigned in Pada, Pahandi and Budpali.
Repeated visits by Union Ministers have surcharged the political atmosphere in Bijepur. The BJP was initially confident of a win and claimed that the victory would mark the launch of Mission 120-plus and set the tone for 2019 General Elections. However, as the campaign for the by-poll progressed, there has been a sea change in the ground situation.
Sources said Union Handloom Minister Smriti Irani is scheduled to campaign for Panigrahi on Tuesday. With weavers’ community forming the substantial chunk of voters, it is expected that the visit of Irani could sway votes in favour of BJP even though the community is peeved over GST on handloom.
On the other hand, BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik will embark on a two-day campaign to ensure win of party candidate Ritarani Sahu from Tuesday. The BJD is banking heavily on the campaign of Naveen who is expected to tilt the balance in favour of Sahu. It is learnt that Naveen will hold discussions with party leaders entrusted with the responsibility of campaign during his visit to Bijepur.
Acharya gives it back to Pradhan
Bargarh: Reacting to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s claim that the cash of `40.50 lakh seized from a vehicle did not belong to the BJP, BJD vice-president Prasanna Acharya on Monday took a jibe at the Saffron party and said “Chor Machaye Shor” (the cry of a thief). Addressing the media, Acharya refuted Pradhan’s accusation that he was also an RSS man and said it was an instance of a thief rebuking the police. Maintaining that the two persons, who were arrested on charges of carrying illegal cash of `40.50 lakh in their vehicle, were accused in burning of a Mission-run orphanage and Melchamunda police station, the BJD leader said investigation of their call records and WhatsApp messages would spill the beans. He said Pradhan’s accusation cannot absolve the BJP of the black deeds to influence voters.