The BJD’s pre-election game plan in Ganjam district seems to have started with the visit of party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnak to the district on Monday.
During his hectic tour to his home district, Patnaik attended a series of functions at Chhatrapur and Beguniapada. Before his visit to Ganjam, he also attended a host of programmes at Gangadharpur, Chilika and Banpur in Khordha district. At Chhatrapur, he laid foundation-stone of a new bus-stand, besides laying stone for three other projects, development of Pillibandh; construction of Zilla Parishad building and construction of a skill development centre.
Patnaik addressed a public meeting at the Onslow School ground and referred to the various development programmes undertaken by his Government. He appreciated the courage of Ganjam people during the cyclone Phailin and floods and claimed that his Government made all-out efforts to meet the situation.
The audience laughed when Patnaik failed to accurately pronounce the name of Brahmapur Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor K Madhavi in his reference to the voters’ massive support to the BJD candidates in the last civic bodies’ elections. He criticised the Central Government for not deputing a single Minister to assess the problems of the Phailin and flood victims of Ganjam.
Patnaik appealed to people to vote for BJD candidates in the ensuing lok Sabha elections to ensure formation of a stable Government at the Centre by defeating the “corrupt” Congress and “communal” BJP. A host of Ministers and MlAs of the district accompanied Patnaik during his tour. Thereafter, he moved to Beguniapada in the district where he laid foundation-stone for construction of additional class rooms in the Janata College and held a brief public meeting.