BARIPADA : Intense campaigning is on in Mayurbhanj district for the panchayat elections with three chief ministers, including two former CMs, addressing meetings and seeking votes for the BJP candidates.
While Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das addressed a public meeting at Simla Bandh in Gopabandhu Nagar block on Sunday, former CM and BJP leader Arjun Munda visited some parts of the district earlier. Raghubar was accompanied by former MLA Bhaskar Madhei. In Gopabandhu Nagar block and nearby areas, the fight is between BJP and BJD.
Another former CM Hemant Soren of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha extensively toured several tribal-dominated blocks like Bahalda, Jamda and Tiring in support of his party nominees. While addressing meetings, Soren spoke in fluent Odia, apart from Hindi and tribal languages, and took the opportunity at a meeting at Bahalda to criticise Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for not being able to speak fluent Odia.