BHUBANESWAR: A day after hitting out at the BJP for making his health a campaign issue and claiming that he is fit and fine, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday walked to a polling station to cast his vote and exuded confidence that BJD will form a very stable government in the state again.
The chief minister walked to the polling station at Aerodrome UP School, a few hundred metres away from his residence Naveen Niwas, at about 9.40 am. He stood in the queue and showed his inked finger after casting his vote in the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
“I request all voters, especially the young people to exercise their democratic franchise,” the chief minister also said.
When asked how confident he was about the poll prospects of BJD after the third phase in the state, Naveen said he expected that his party will have a great victory both in the Assembly and Parliament. “We will form a very stable and solid government in the state again with the blessings of people and Lord Jagannath,” he said.
BJD star campaigner and 5T chairman VK Pandian cast his votes in the city. He came in an autorickshaw from his residence and reached the Government High School at Unit-VI. He was seen standing in a queue before exercising his franchise.
After casting his vote, Pandian appealed to the people to join hands together and increase the voting percentage. “Everyone should participate in the festival of democracy and exercise their vote. India is known for its vibrant democracy. Every voter has to be part of it and enjoy the festival of democracy,” the BJD leader said.
On his auto ride, he said the autorickshaw owners’ association had requested him to take the ride to the polling station and he honoured it.
After the third phase polling in Odisha, BJD claimed that the regional party is forming the government in Odisha with the blessings of the people. National spokesperson Sasmit Patra thanked the voters of six Lok Sabha constituencies - Sambalpur, Puri, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal and the Assembly constituencies for their blessings and continued support to BJD. “With the BJD forming the government after the third phase, Odisha BJP is heading towards a massive defeat,” Patra said.