BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday started his campaign for the NDA Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu by seeking the support of Congress MLAs as well as the only Independent legislator in the Assembly ahead of her visit to the State on July 8.
Independent MLA from Rayagada Makaranda Muduli met the Chief Minister at Naveen Nivas in the evening. Describing Murmu as the daughter of Odisha and pride of the State, Naveen sought his support to which he agreed. Naveen reiterated his appeal to all the members of the Assembly to ensure every vote in Murmu's favour.
"Independent MLA Makaranda Muduli met me today. Requested his support for the daughter of Odisha, Smt Droupadi Murmu in the Presidential election which he agreed to. She is the pride of Odisha. Reiterate my appeal to all members to ensure every vote in her favour," he tweeted.
Organisational secretary of the BJD Pranab Prakash Das also met leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Narasingh Mishra at his chamber in the Assembly during which the Chief Minister had a telephonic discussion with Mishra seeking his support for the NDA Presidential candidate.
"Spoke to Odisha Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingh Mishra seeking support for Smt Droupadi Murmu. It is a matter of great pride for Odisha. Appealed him to ensure the victory of the daughter of Odisha to the highest office of the country," he tweeted.
A three-member team of BJD leaders including Das, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and MLA Pranab Balabantray met president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Sarat Pattanayak at his Kalinga Vihar residence here and sought the party’s support. Murmu and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had recently sought the support of the Congress members. They had separate telephonic discussions with Mishra.
The Congress leader, however, said that the party has already taken a stand from the very beginning. Stating that the Congress has its own candidate, Mishra said Presidential election is not a matter of caste, creed and locality. "We stand by our ideological commitment," he added.
The OPCC president also said that the BJD is doing its work and the Congress will stand by the united Opposition candidate. After visiting Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Assam, Murmu is scheduled to come to Odisha, her home state on July 8.
According to sources, Murmu will separately meet the BJD and BJP MLAs. She will also have a one-on-one meeting with the Chief Minister at Naveen Nivas. She will meet the BJD MLAs at a conference hall in the Assembly and the BJP legislators at the State guest house.
UPA candidate Yashwant Sinha's visit to Odisha on July 6 has been cancelled at the last minute as he is unwell. In the 147-member Assembly, BJD has 112 members while the BJP has 22. The Congress has nine MLAs while CPM has one member. The House has only one Independent member besides two members expelled from the BJD.