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Bardhan blows election bugle in Ganjam

BERHAMPUR: CPI general secretary A.B.Bardhan on Sunday blew the election bugle in Ganjam, home district of BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

It was an early electoral move of the CPI, which had faced a major drubbing in the State especially in Ganjam district due to defection of former State general secretary of the party Nityananda Pradhan to the BJD. Mr Bardhan addressed a public meeting organised at Patapur of Sanakhemundi assembly segment of the district. After delimitation Sanakhemundi and Dharakote blocks of Ganjam district would form the new Sanakhemundi Assembly constituency. This area has a sizeable number of CPI supporters. After joining the BJD, Mr Pradhan is also trying hard to woo these CPI cadres to their fold. So, the CPI leaders were extra careful.

Chatrapur MLA N.Narayan Reddy has been declared the candidate of the CPI from Sanakhemundi. Mr Bardhan said they had decided to field candidates in three Assembly segments in Ganjam district. Out of them he was sure of win in Chatrapur and Sanakhemundi segments. He said the CPI was confident of winning at least six seats in Orissa in the coming Assembly polls.

Speaking to newsmen Mr Bardhan expressed his hopes for formation of a third front which would emerge as an alternative of the Congress and the BJP. He also came down sharply on the alleged wrong economic policies of the Central government, which according to him had led to price rise.

Former MP of Aska Duti Krushna Panda hinted that the Left parties were still open for an alliance with the BJD. “Left parties are ready to join hands with Naveen Patnaik like what they did with his father Biju Patnaik if he would part ways with the BJP,” he said.

Ganjam district secretary Prakash Patro said early choice of candidate would enable them better reorganisation of party cadres for the election in the Sanakhemundi constituency. After the defection of Mr Pradhan, he had started reorganising the party cadres from panchayat level in the area. Mr Reddy, who is going to contest from Sanakhemundi, said the BJD leaders were enjoying a false dream that they would get the real CPI activists on a platter through Mr Pradhan.

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