BHUBANESWAR: Emboldened by the Dhamnagar success, BJP has planned to make the filing of nomination by party candidate Pradip Purohit on Monday an impressive display of show of strength. Before the filing of the nomination by Purohit, the party will hold a massive rally at the LIC ground of Padampur which will be addressed by Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bishweswar Tudu, Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari, Kalahandi MP Basanta Panda, Balangir MP Sangeeta Singhdeo and party MLAs from western Odisha districts.
After the meeting, Purohit will be taken on a procession to the sub-collector office where he will file his nomination papers. Even before the selection of candidates for the bypoll, BJD has mobilised its ministers and MLAs to every nook and corner of the constituency for better micro-management. Aware of the BJD’s scheme of financial manoeuvres to entice voters by using official machinery and women self-help groups, the BJP has decided to repeat the Dhamnagar strategy to give checkmate.
State BJP president Samir Mohanty and general secretary (organisation) Manas Mohanty who are camping in Padampur are holding a series of meeting with party’s Bargarh district functionaries and preparing an electoral strategy to thwart the ruling party’s game plan. National BJP general secretaries Sunil Bansal and Odisha in-charge D Purendeswari will reach Padampur on November 15 to review the preparations made by the party.
“Everyone is aware that the BJD has only one strategy. The ruling party believes in money power to win elections. The people of Dhamnagar did not fall into their trap. The rejection of Dhamnagar voters has given sleepless nights to BJD which will use all possible means to retain the seat,” Mohanty said. He added, “The BJP is leaving nothing to chance. If we succeed in preventing the BJD from misusing official machinery as we did in Dhamnagar, the battle is won.”