BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will formally kick off the poll campaign from his home constituency Hinjili in Ganjam district on Wednesday. Naveen has been elected from the constituency for five consecutive times since 2000.
A day before embarking on his campaign trail, the chief minister urged the people to vote for ‘Jodi Sankha’ (double conch) in the ensuing elections in the state. The term ‘doube conch’ has been coined to counter ‘double-engine government’ slogan of the BJP.
The chief minister’s campaign has assumed significance this time as the party will be trying to neutralise the anti-incumbency factor against the BJD candidates due to the party being in power for such a long period. Besides, the party is trying to check a possible chance of split voting because of a general surge of BJP driven by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity among the electorate.
In a video released by the BJD, the chief minister was seen holding two conches, the party symbol in both the hands, appealing people to vote for ‘double conch’ in the elections. “This time, vote for double conch - one for MLA and one for MP,” he said.
The chief minister will hit the campaign trail a day before Union Home minister Amit Shah’s proposed rally at Sonepur under Balangir Lok Sabha seat. He will address two public meetings - one at Hinjili and the second at Sheragada. He is scheduled to campaign for BJD candidates in Rayagada district on Thursday.
Sources in the BJD said that 5T chairman VK Pandian will accompany him during the campaign. The chief minister is contesting from two Assembly seats - Hinliji and Kantabanji in Balangir district.
Simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections will be held in Odisha in four phases from May 13 to June 1. Four Lok Sabha seats, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Berhampur and Koraput and 28 Assembly segments under them will go for polls on May 13.