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Naveen kicks off campaign for civic polls

BERHAMPUR: The Chief Minister and BJD supremo, Naveen Patnaik kicked off his campaign for the urban local body polls in the State from home district Ganjam on Saturday.

He reached the district on a two-day campaign tour. Ganjam district holds much importance in State politics as it happens to be base of rival political bigwigs including Mr. Patnaik as well as the Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Congress MP of Berhampur, Chandrasekhar Sahu. Mr. Sahu also started his marathon campaign in Ganjam district from Saturday. Both these rival political heavy weights tried to prove their value in the Berhampur city, a key urban body of the State and Ganjam district.

Taking cue from his party president Mr. Sahu led roadshows in several wards of the city.

Mr. Patnaik reached the district by road. He campaigned for his party candidates contesting in Rambha, Ganjam, Purushottampur Notified Area Councils (NAC) and Chatrapur municipality before reaching the city in the evening. State Cabinet Minister, Surya Narayan Patro, who hails from the district and senior BJD MLA of Khallikote, Sugnani Deo accompanied the BJD chief in the campaign trail. Everywhere he was received by a large crowd of supporters.

He seemed to bear the smile of satisfaction and confidence on his face when he reached the stage at Ramlingam tank road in the city to attend the public meeting.

Speaking to newsmen he said he felt elated by the good support he had received on the first day of his campaign for the urban body elections in the State.

He was confident that the rival Congress would not fare well in the urban areas of the State as people still remembered the era of corruption during Congress rule.

Mr. Patnaik tried to hit the emotions of common voters by blaming the UPA-led government at the Centre for the rising prices and inflation. He also added the allegation that the Centre was showing indifference towards the State .

Dreams of his father Biju Patnaik also found place in his speech. From Berhampur he rushed to Gopalpur on the campaign trail.

After a night halt at Gopalpur he would reach out to Hinjli NAC, part of his own Assembly constituency on Sunday morning.

Then he would campaign in Sorada, Aska, Buguda, Polasara, Kavisuryanagar and Kodala townships of Ganjam district before returning back to Bhubaneswar.

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