DEOGARH : In a unique move, the BJD candidate for Deogarh AC, Romancha Ranjan Biswal, pledged to donate his body before filing nomination papers here on Monday.
Biswal who recently replaced Arundhati Devi, the member of Deogarh royal family and wife of outgoing Sambalpur BJP MP, Nitesh Ganga Deb, was fielded by the BJD in the last elections too and is popular among the locals.
On Monday morning, after visiting the temples of Pradhani, Jhadeswar and Jagannath, the BJD candidate moved around the key areas of the city in a huge rally and stopped at the Deogarh DHH to sign his declaration in presence of the ADMO, before proceeding to the sub-collector’s office to file his nominations. The supporters of Biswal were also holding a banner of Biswal’s pledge certificate in the rally.
Speaking about his intention, Biswal said, “It was just an effort to make people aware about the need for body donation which can save many lives. I could have done it on any other day. But since the party has given me another chance and I am contesting the elections to serve the people of Deogarh, I decided to pledge to donate my body on the day of my nomination,” he stated.
Independent candidate’s unique nomination
Gyanendra Behera, a 46-year-old independent candidate from Jharsuguda, made a bold statement during his nomination filing for both Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha seats. Rather than the usual fanfare of supporters, Behera arrived at the district collector’s office on Monday on a trolley rickshaw, carrying an effigy depicting the plight of patients at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla.
Accompanied by only three supporters, Behera filed his nominations with a symbolic representation of the neglected state of healthcare in the region. The effigy bore placards reading, “I am Burla Hospital. I am appalled due to the neglected state of healthcare,” written in the local language. “I wanted to appeal the people to look around them, be aware of the negligence of the political parties and vote for change,” said Behera.Expressing his concerns, Behera highlighted the disparity between VIPs and politicians receiving airlift facilities while poor patients lack basic amenities like ambulances.