BHUBANESWAR: Even as the ruling BJD has launched its campaign with all seriousness for the Patkura Assembly election scheduled on July 20, the disinterest in the BJP camp has given rise to talks in political circles here that there has been a tacit understanding between the two parties.
Relations between the two bitter rivals started changing after the announcement of election results. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s gift of a Rajya Sabha seat to BJP changed the political equation as the two parties are no more seen as rivals. It now remains to be seen what approach will the BJP adopt towards the election.
Meanwhile, the BJD on Sunday organised a workers’ conference in Patkura which was attended by Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain, also in overall charge of the election, government chief whip Pramila Mallik and other senior leaders of the party.
Besides the half a dozen Ministers who have camped in the constituency, MLAs have also been stationed in every gram panchayats of the Assembly seat. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is also likely to campaign in Patkura.
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Sources in BJP, however, maintained that the party is not taking the Patkura election lightly. There is also no chance of the party gifting Patkura to BJD in return of the Rajya Sabha seat. A senior leader maintained that several leaders of the party including Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Chandra Sarangi are likely to campaign for BJP candidate Bijay Mohapatra.
Meanwhile, the Congress maintained that Mohapatra has been made a scapegoat. “Patkura election is fixed as it is a friendly contest between BJD and BJP. The Chief Minister does not want to see the face of Mohapatra in the Assembly,” senior Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati told media persons here.
However, Mohapatra said the Congress leader should first focus on the performance of his own party before making such comments. “The Patkura election is a matter of pride for BJP,” he said. Mohapatra asserted that there has been no fixing in the election. “Why does the BJD president not gift Patkura to BJP like he gave a Rajya Sabha seat?” he asked.
Stating that the ruling BJD is yet to start campaigning in the constituency, Mohapatra said the party’s leaders are not seen in any village. Election to Patkura Assembly seat, which was deferred twice, will be held on July 20. While the BJD has fielded Sabitri Agarwalla, wife of late Bed Prakash Agarwalla, Jayant Mohanty is the Congress candidate from the constituency.