Padampur bypoll: Campaigning by major parties gains momentum

BARGARH: With the end of scrutiny of nominations for the Padampur bypoll, scheduled on December 5, campaigning by candidates of major political parties has gained momentum.While the BJD and BJP started their campaign soon after the nominations, the other political parties and independent candidates are yet to catch up with their pace. 

BJD’s candidate, Barsha Singh Bariha seems to be winning hearts through door-to-door campaigning in the block. Barsha’s emotional appeal for votes in the name of her father Bijay Singh Bariha, whose death necessitated the bypoll, has been making her close to the voters. The ruling party’s campaign is dominated by women workers which is uncommon in the area. 

BJP candidate, Pradip Purohit kick-started his campaign from Jharbandh and Paikmal blocks in the first phase. While the party workers are actively mobilising people from several villages under the block to attend public meetings, Purohit is running from pillar to post to address multiple gatherings in rural areas. 
Sources said Barsha’s appeal for votes is devoid of assurances or attack on the opposition, while Purohit is harping on the unfulfilled promises of the state government. 

State president of BJP Yuva Morcha, Irasis Acharya said, “The BJD government has done PhD in giving false assurances to people of the region. Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik has already cheated farmers once in 2015 in Sohela where he had promised bonus of Rs 100 over MSP per quintal of paddy. Now he is deceiving farmers in the name of input assistance and district status for Padampur only for the sake of votes.” He said Purohit has been fighting for the rights of the farmers and the development of the Padampur sub-division for more than 30 years now. 

“The voters are aware of who has done what for them, and their response will reflect in their mandate,” he said. Meanwhile, a recently elected MLA from Dhamnagar, Suraj Suryavanshi visited Padampur on Saturday to participate in BJP’s campaign. Besides Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is scheduled to visit the sub-division on November 21.