BHUBANESWAR: With the State Election Commission (SEC) unlikely to relax restrictions on campaigning for the panchayat elections slated to be held from February 16, major political parties have started focusing on virtual door-to-door electioneering.
The three major political parties-BJD, BJP and Congress, had urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to relax restrictions on campaigning for panchayat elections in the State after the Election Commission of India (ECI) allowed physical rallies with a cap of 1,000 people for assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and other states.
Sources said SEC will issue fresh guidelines in view of decline in number of Covid-19 cases. However, the Commission is unlikely to relax the existing restrictions as the State government is keeping a close watch on the situation.
General secretary of State BJP Golak Mohapatra said political parties and candidates are facing difficulties in digital campaigning as more than 6,000 villages across Odisha do not have mobile connectivity. Mohapatra said BJP had urged the Commission to allow physical campaigning after the ECI permitted it for the Assembly elections. He said voice SMSs are being sent on mobile phones of voters in villages where there is no internet connectivity.
BJD spokesperson said there was a possibility that the restrictions will be relaxed. However, it has not been done so far. The party is continuing its virtual and door-to-door campaigning as per the guidelines issued by the SEC, he added.
Congress spokesperson Manoranjan Das said his party is planning four to five virtual rallies to be addressed by senior leaders for the polls during which the manifesto will be released. But this will be effective in areas which have mobile and internet connectivity, he said.