As the polling date of November 3 is drawing nearer for the Baleswar Sadar Assembly by-election, the State’s three major political parties BJD, BJP and Congress are making all-out efforts to win the seat.
Heavyweight leaders of these parties have stepped up campaigns to woo voters in favour of their respective candidates. Top leaders are campaigning virtually in view of prevalence of Covid-19 pandemic.
While a host of Ministers and MLAs have been camping here for BJD candidate Swarup Kumar Das, two Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi and BJP State leaders are controlling and monitoring the campaigning for party candidate Manas Dutta.The Congress too has roped in its State and AICC leaders to canvass voters in favour of its candidate Mamata Kundu.
Meanwhile, octogenarian Independent candidate Benudhar Barik is hitting social media, amassing supports of young voters.
The craze towards Barik has enhanced after Jollywood actor Rani Panda donated a bicycle to him to do campaigning and singer Abhijit Mazumdar sang a song for him.
The BJP and the BJD have harped on the door-to-door campaign to woo the voters, especially women, in favour of their respective candidates.
Besides seeking sympathy votes, the BJP is also countering various “failures” of the Naveen Patnaik Government and cashing in on casual remarks of the ruling leaders towards former MLA Madan Mohan Dutta, who demise has necessitated the scheduled by-poll.Without taking name, BJD leader Kuna Tripathy had on Thursday said the constituency didn’t witness development as it had an unserviceable transformer. Earlier, Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain had said that the death of the sitting MLA created an opportunity of a by-poll (for people of Baleswar).
Sharply reacting to these remarks, former MLA’s widow and BJP candidate Manas Dutta’ mother in a press brief alleged that the remarks are unfortunate and dishonour to the departed soul of her husband.
She too urged the Chief Minister to ask BJD leaders not to disrespect to her deceased husband.On Friday, a group of BJP women wing staged a dharana in front of the Gandhi statue at Sahid park near Cinema square here.
Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi is moving on foot and meeting roadside vendors.The BJD is canvassing for votes in the name of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and development works done by the State Government.
The leaders are hardly seen criticising or attacking BJP leaders either of national or State level.
Addressing a virtual rally on Thursday, Chief Minister had assured that he would personally look into the development of Balasore and visit the district after the corona situation is normalised.
Congress MLAs Suresh Routray, Tara Prasad Bahinipati and many senior leaders are trying to woo voters raising failures of the BJP Government at the Centre and the BJD Government in the State. They have made the issue of inordinate delay in establishment of the AIIMS satellite centre in Baleswar as the main poll plank.
