High-pitched campaigning for the Thursday's CMC elections ended here on Tuesday evening with political heavyweights making the last minute appeal to the voters to bless their respective party candidates.
The campaigning for the Baripada Municipality polls, also to be held on Thursday, ended on Tuesday. In Cuttack, the day, however, witnessed yet another political violence pertaining to ruling BJD again. The BJD candidate from ward number 21 Anita Behera lodged an FIR in Madhupatna police station alleging that she and her supporters were allegedly attacked by the supporters of former corporator Kailash Bastia. While police are investigating into the matter Bastia denied any role in the incident. Elsewhere, the last day campaigning by the political parties choked the lanes and bylanes of the city putting the commuters in hardship.
However, the people here heaved a sigh of relief as the campaigning by loudspeakers, meetings and rallies came to an end. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the fifth consecutive day led the BJD campaign along with several of his Cabinet colleges, MPs, MlAs, and other party office-bearers. The Congress too made a valiant effort to woo the voters on the last day as the PCC chief Jayadev Jena, Union Minister Srikant Jena and other senior leaders of the party including party Chief Whip in the Assembly Prasad Harichandan hit the campaign trail.
The BJP was also not left behind. Senior party leaders including State president KV Singh Deo moved across the city canvassing for the party candidates. Besides, other small parties like Odisha Jan Morcha, Aama Odisha, Utkal Bharat and left parties too campaigned for their respective party candidates moving across the city.
In their unique and innovative style, the Independent candidates also made a last ditch effort to woo the voters. Bereft of large rallies and heavy motorcades, the independent candidates with their handful of supporters moved door-to-door and tried their best to convince the voters. There are nearly 150 Independent candidates in the fray for the whole of the 59 wards.