BHUBANESWAR: With less than 48 hours remaining for voting in the by-election, BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Sunday said the BJP’s defeat in Odisha is set to begin from Nuapada on November 14.
In a video message released to the people of Assembly segment before the silence period started, the BJD president appealed to the people of Odisha to unite for the defeat of BJP. Stating that he will serve the people of Odisha till his last breath, the leader of Opposition urged the people to cast their vote for the party candidate Snehangini Chhuria on November 11.
Expressing deep gratitude to the people of Nuapada, Khariar Road and Komna for their enthusiastic participation in his public meetings, the BJD president criticised the BJP government for neglecting the welfare of women and tribals. Naveen said welfare schemes like the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) have been stopped. This has not only affected the common people but also has damaged the Odisha’s image, he said.
Alleging that atrocities against women have increased and Mission Shakti members are facing growing hardships under the current administration, the BJD president reaffirmed his lifelong dedication to serve the people.
Naveen had campaigned for the party candidate in two phases. He addressed two public meetings at Komna and Khariar Road. The video message came a day after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi held a massive roadshow in Nuapada town and addressed a huge public meeting at Khariar Road seeking vote for the BJP candidate Jay Dholakia.
Meanwhile, the BJD submitted a memorandum to the chief electoral officer (CEO) RS Gopalan, alleging that creation and circulation of morphed videos and fake news targeting prominent BJD leaders, including Naveen Patnaik and Snehangini Chhuria has undermined the integrity of the electoral process. The party also demanded that the borders of the Nuapada constituency should be sealed immediately as there were reports of large scale influx of outsiders from neighbouring states, allegedly supported by BJP, intending to influence voters through coercion and financial inducements.
The BJD submitted a formal complaint regarding the delayed arrival of electronic voting machines (EVMs) to Nuapada, raising doubts about transparency and fair conduct of the bypoll.