BHUBANESWAR: With only 12 days left for the Patkura election in the coastal district of Kendrapara, campaigning by three major political parties has remained a low key affair amid speculation of growing bonhomie between BJD and BJP, the two main contenders for the assembly seat.
While BJD has fortified the constituency by deploying many of its ministers and senior party leaders to retain the seat, poll campaign so far has been limited to door-to-door canvassing by candidates of three political parties including Congress.
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With no visible excitement for the election, the BJP on Monday said the party is chalking out strategies for the poll. “The party has started work at panchayat and booth levels. There is strong goodwill among the people of Patkura for BJP candidate Bijay Mohapatra who will win the seat,” said State BJP general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan. The BJP has termed the Patkura poll as a fight for ‘Swabhiman’.
The party’s poll campaign in the constituency will be led by Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Chandra Sarangi. Several Central BJP leaders are likely to visit the State to campaign for Mohapatra, he said.
On the allegations of Congress that the Patkura poll is ‘fixed’ and it is going to be ‘friendly match’ between BJD and BJP, Harichandan said, “Congress does not know who their leader is. They should not point fingers at other parties when their own house is in complete disarray.”
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With a general perception that the BJP leadership is not taking interest for Patkura election, party spokesperson Dilip Mohanty said such canards are being spread by rival political parties to create confusion among voters.
He asserted that BJP workers from many districts of the State are working with dedication at booth level under close monitoring of party general secretary (organisation) Manas Mohanty but they are not visible. “Every political party has its own political strategy for each election. The BJP is doing its best and the party will be successful,” he said.
Accusing the ruling party of misusing government machinery, Mohanty said the battery of BJD Ministers camping at Patkura are directly influencing voters through officials of Panchayati Raj department, Biju Yuva Vahini, women self help groups, Mahila Samitis and local youth clubs.