Orissa BJP leaders to woo voters in Gujarat

With completion of Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Orissa, several BJP leaders are Gujarat bound to woo Oriyas settled there and registered as voters.

A ten-member team led by the party’s Yuba Morcha president Bibhuti Jena is leaving for Narendra Modi’s land to campaign in Surat and Ahmedabad. Over 10 lakh Oriyas are settled in Surat and Ahmedabad, known as textile and diamond cities of Gujarat.

Most of them are from Ganjam district. “As most Oriyas in Surat are from Ganjam district and form a crucial votebank, we are going to woo them in favour of BJP,” said Jena, who is from Ganjam district and also contested from the saffron party from Gopalpur assembly segment.

Congress would take a final decision after discussion with party leaders and the candidate of the party in the surat Lok Sabha seat. “No formal invitation from the Gujarat Congress has been received, but we are keen to visit Oriya colonies of Surat to campaign for our party,” said a party leader.

First Published: Apr 26, 2009 11:53 IST