Following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) victory against the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJP) in the Dhamnagar assembly bypoll in Odisha on Sunday, both the parties have now decided to entrust the campaign responsibility for the upcoming assembly by-election in Padampur in Bargarh district to senior leaders of the respective parties.
In Dhamnagar, the BJD suffered its first-ever defeat in a bypoll since 2009 as the party’s candidate Abanti Das lost to the BJP’s Suryabanshi Suraj, son of the deceased BJP MLA Bishnu Sethi. The bypoll in Padampur, necessitated following the demise of 64-year-old BJD MLA and prominent tribal leader Bijaya Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3, has been scheduled for December 5.
Though the BJD expected to snatch the Dhamnagar seat from the BJP with its younger leaders led by party organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das helming the campaign, it led to an open revolt with former MLA Rajendra Das contesting as an independent candidate. Das dented the BJD’s poll prospects as he polled over 8,100 votes.
Unwilling to take any chance for the assembly bypolls in Padampur, chief minister Naveen Patnaik has asked former Rajya Sabha MP and veteran BJD leader Prasanna Acharya to head the campaign in the constituency.
Apart from Acharya, three BJD ministers have been asked to look after one block each as part of the party’s strategy to woo voters. Niranjan Pujari will look after the Padampur block while Naba Das would take charge of the Paikamal block. Rajendra Dholakia has been allotted the Jharbandha block.
{{/usCountry}}Apart from Acharya, three BJD ministers have been asked to look after one block each as part of the party’s strategy to woo voters. Niranjan Pujari will look after the Padampur block while Naba Das would take charge of the Paikamal block. Rajendra Dholakia has been allotted the Jharbandha block.
{{/usCountry}}Besides, BJD leaders Tukuni Sahu, Debesh Acharya, Snehangini Chhuria, Rita Sahu, Saroj Meher and Puspendra Singhdeo have been asked to campaign in the constituency.
Meanwhile, enthused by the Dhamnagar win, the BJP has decided to entrust veteran leader and Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari, Kalahandi MP Basant Panda and leader of Opposition Jay Narayan Mishra in charge of the campaign in Padampur. BJP state in-charge Sunil Bansal and senior leader Daggubati Purandeswari will soon visit Padampur to take stock of the party’s preparedness.