JEYPORE/BHUBANESWAR: 5T chairman and senior BJD leader VK Pandian on Wednesday launched the party’s election campaign from Bissam Cuttack and Gunupur and urged people to ensure the victory of BJD candidates in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls by a huge margin.
Addressing an election meeting at Banguruguda village near Semiliguda in Pottangi Assembly seat, Pandian said people will again extend their support to BJD candidates because of the welfare programmes launched by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the state government.
Pandian targeted the opposition leaders and said when election comes, they make promises. But after the polls, these opposition leaders are not seen. He said he will meet the people after elections to thank them for reposing their faith in BJD candidates. The chief minister has directed him to give an account of the work done during the last five years. Stating that welfare work amounting to Rs 160 crore has been started in Bissam Cuttack, the 5T chairman said Bissam Cuttack and Muniguda towns have been declared as NACs while a community health centre (CHC) has been opened at Kalyansinghpur. Houses for Dongria Kondhs, hostels for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students have also been sanctioned.
The 5T chairman said projects worth Rs 1,370 crore have been started in Gunupur sub-division. Around 80,500 families of Gunupur sub-division have Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) cards.
In a veiled attack on BJP’s Sambalpur Lok Sabha candidate Dharmendra Pradhan, Pandian alleged that the union minister has been misleading people over the BSKY scheme in the state. “You all know this central minister who is talking too much did nothing for Odisha,” he claimed.
Later, the 5T chairman addressed another meeting at Dasmantpur block in Laxmipur Assembly constituency offering prayers at the local Jagannath temple. Seeking votes for BJD’s LS candidate from Koraput Kausalya Hikaka and MLA nominees, he highlighted the development works carried out in Dasmantpur block by the state government.
Among others, Hikaka, BJD’s candidate from Pottangi Assembly seat Prafulla Pangi and Laxmipur nominee Prabhu Jani were present at the meetings.