Jharsuguda Bypoll: ‘Clash of Titans’ on May 7 as Naveen, Dharmendra to hit campaign trail

Bhubaneswar: Campaigning for the upcoming bypoll to the Jharsuguda Assembly Constituency may reach its peak on May 7 as two political heavyweights of Odisha– BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan– are likely to campaign for their respective party candidates on the day.

As per BJD sources, Patnaik will hold a public meeting in Jharsuguda block to garner support of the people in favour of its candidate Dipali Das, daughter of late Odisha minister Naba Kishore Das.

Patnaik’s visit holds significance as his campaigns have helped the conch party in wooing voters in the bypolls conducted in the recent past in the state.

While political pundits have opined that Dipali might secure ‘sympathy votes’, she, during the campaigns, has been promising the voters to carry forward the developmental works which were undertaken by her father.

Similarly, Pradhan is likely to campaign and conduct roadshow for BJP nominee Tankadhar Tripathy.

As a part of its election strategy, the BJP has been raising the issue of ‘deteriorated law and order situation’ and ‘lack of development’ in the constituency to target the ruling party.

The bypoll will be held on May 10 while the counting of votes will take place on May 13.

The bypoll was necessitated after the murder of the then sitting MLA Naba Kishore Das on January 29, this year.