BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday made a special appeal to women to come out in large numbers to vote for BJD candidate Rudra Pratap Maharathy in the by-poll to the Pipili Assembly constituency scheduled on April 17.
Campaigning for the party candidate virtually, the Chief Minister said that he would have been very happy to personally visit Pipili during the by-poll. “But I could not visit due to the Covid-19 pandemic. You would have come out in large numbers had I visited because of the love you have for me. This would not have been proper during the pandemic,” he said and added that he will visit Pipili after the pandemic is over.
Assuring the people that he will personally look after the development of Pipili and Delang areas, Naveen thanked the people of the constituency for always supporting the BJD. “We are also observing the 23rd death anniversary of Biju Babu on April 17 who will always remain an inspiration for us,” he said.
The Chief Minister in his speech said, “be it the farmers’ issue or the welfare of the poor, Odisha has made a mark for itself at the national level. The mothers of Odisha are leading several projects under Mission Shakti. This is a major achievement in the direction of women empowerment which the party has always stood for.”
He called upon people to vote for conch symbol of BJD to make the party candidate victorious.
The Chief Minister also requested the people to be very careful about coronavirus and said the second wave of Covid-19 has hit the State. “We all must ensure to put on masks while moving out of homes,” he said.
BJD memo on minister attack
The ruling BJD on Monday demanded exemplary action against those involved in the attack on the vehicle of Labour Minister Sushant Singh on Sunday night at Delang while he was going to meet some party workers.A delegation of BJD leaders led by Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra submitted a memorandum to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) SK Lohani protesting the attack on the minister and two workers by BJP activists in Delang block of Pipili constituency. Patra told mediapersons that BJP workers had launched a violent attack on the minister and damaged the front and rear windshields of his car on Sunday. Later, they attacked two party workers, he added.