BHUBANESWAR: KIIT and KISS founder and BJD’s winning Lok Sabha candidate from Kandhamal Achyuta Samanta on Friday credited Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his victory in the polls.
The campaign by Chief Minister in all the seven Assembly segments under Kandhamal Parliamentary constituency made a huge impact on the poll outcome, he said.
Samanta, who was nominated to Rajya Sabha last year, said his focus will be on health, education and employment in the region.
“People of Kandhamal have been demanding a medical college and hospital in the district. I will make efforts to set up the facility at the earliest,” he said. Samanta further said his priority will be to strengthen railway connectivity in the district with help of the Centre and the State Government. He will also take steps to address water scarcity facing some pockets of the district and boost Kandhamal’s tourism sector. “My focus will be on overall development of Kandhamal,” he said.
The tribal-dominated Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat witnessed a triangular battle among the BJD, BJP and Congress. Samanta emerged victorious by defeating his nearest rival Kharabela Swain of BJP with a margin of around 1.50 lakh votes.
On being asked whether BJD leaders will put forth the demand for special category status for Odisha in the Lok Sabha, Samanta said if the party instructs them, they will raise the issue in the Parliament.