Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik To Begin Campaigning From Apr 24

As the campaigning for the ensuing Lok Sabha and Assembly elections gain momentum, ruling BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is all set to begin canvassing for the twin polls from April 24 from his home turf Hinjili in Ganjam district, party sources said.

Patnaik will begin campaigning a day before Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to hold the BJP's first election meeting in the state at Sonepur in the Bolangir Lok Sabha constituency.

On the first day of the campaign, Patnaik will address a public meeting in the Hinjili Assembly constituency and next day the chief minister will hold a public rally in Rayagada on April 25.

Apart from his traditional Hinjili assembly segment, Patnaik will also contest from Kantabanji assembly seat under the Bolangir LS seat.

Meanwhile, Congress Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar Monday said that Rahul Gandhi is likely to visit Salepur in Cuttack district on April 28.

“We have requested Rahul Gandhi to campaign in Salepur, Rayagada, and Berhampur. There is a need for a huge rally in coastal Odisha to boost party prospects in the upcoming elections,” Kumar said.

Ajoy Kumar also said that the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has also requested Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to campaign in Bolangir and the party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi in Nabarangpur.

While Priyanka Gandhi is expected to visit Odisha on May 6, Kharge is likely to campaign for the party the next day, he said.

Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal Monday told reporters that Amit Shah is scheduled to reach Sonepur at 3.30 pm on April 25.

The Union home minister will first land at Jharsuguda and then proceed to Sonepur, where he is slated to address a public meeting, Samal said.

After addressing the public meeting at Sonepur, Amit Shah will proceed to Bhubaneswar where he is slated to hold a meeting with senior BJP functionaries to discuss poll strategy, Samal said.

Shah’s meeting is very significant as it is held after a failed alliance bid between the BJD and the BJP.

Samal said a series of meetings will follow Shah’s Odisha visit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president J P Nadda and other senior leaders will address different public meetings in Odisha, he said.