Major parties keep voters guessing

BALASORE: With Balasore Sadar bypoll less than a month away, all the three major political parties are yet to announce their candidates, keeping both aspirants and voters guessing. By-election to Balasore Sadar constituency is scheduled to be held on November 3. It was necessitated after death of BJP MLA Madan Mohan Dutta on June 17. 

District BJD president Rabindra Jena said party supremo Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will declare the name of the candidate soon. However, party workers have started work at the booth level. Jena claimed that voters are in favour of BJD due to the several welfare initiatives taken by the Chief Minister. 

Recently, the Government announced construction of a bridge over Subarnarekha river at a cost of `130 crore. The bridge will solve the communication problems of residents of Baliapal and Bhograi. The party will use various development projects undertaken by the BJD Government as its poll planks, Jena added.
Similarly, district BJP chief Umakanta Lenka said the party will announce its candidate in a few days. BJP has formed State, district and constituency level committees for the bypoll. During campaigning, party workers will highlight the initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government at the Centre.

“Due to the efforts of Balasore MP and Union Minister of State, MSME Pratap Sarangi, Central funds are pouring in to the district for development works. Besides, plans have been chalked out to develop the district’s fishery and animal husbandry sectors under Pradhan Mantri Matshya Yojana,” Lenka said.
BJP will also educate voters about the failure of BJD Government in utilising funds allotted by the Centre. The implementation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has been poor in the district due to the fault the State Government, he added. 

Balasore district Congress committee president Sanjeeb Giri said the party candidate will be declared within seven days. He exuded confidence that Congress will win from the seat. “The development projects executed in Balasore were during the UPA regime. Major works were carried out between 1980 and 85 and 2009 and 2014. The ITR at Chandipur, shrimp fishing park, super specialty hospital, trauma centre, Fakir Mohan University, Birla Tyres and many such projects were set up in Balasore when Congress was in power,” he said.  

While Sadar block chairman Narayan Pradhan, former MLA Jiban Pradip Das, Jena’s wife Subasini and Ollywood actor Arindam are aspirants from BJD, late MLA Dutta’s son Manash Mohan is eyeing the BJP ticket. Similarly, OPPCC president’s son Navajyoti is the aspirant from Congress.In 2019 elections, Dutta had won from Balasore Sadar seat by defeating BJD’s Das by 13,406 votes. 

Training for Balasore Sadar by-poll concludes
Balasore: A two day-long training programme for the upcoming of Balasore Sadar by-election concluded on Sunday. District level master trainers along with a few officials from the constituency were imparted training on conducting the poll while adhering to Covid-19 norms by a team of officials from the State Electoral Office. Deputy Chief Election Officer (DCEO), Odisha P Ray, Additional Chief Election Officer Satrughna Kar and Additional Secretary of Mass Education department Raghuram Ayar along with officers from other departments imparted training to participants of the programme.