Odisha CM Naveen to lead BJD’s campaign for Deepali Das in Jharsuguda bypoll

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will campaign for his party BJD’s candidate Deepali Das in the Jharsuguda bypoll.Naveen heads the list of 40 star campaigners submitted by the BJD to the Election Commission of India (ECI). BJD observer for the bypoll, senior leader Prasanna Acharya, however, said a decision is yet to be taken on the dates on which the chief minister will campaign in Jharsuguda. As campaign for the bypoll will end on May 8, a decision on the dates on which the chief minister will campaign for Das will be taken in the first week of next month. Sources said, Naveen will campaign only for a day.

The chief minister had also campaigned for party candidate Barsha Singh Bariha in the Padampur bypoll on December 2 and addressed three public meetings. Meanwhile, Susanta Singh, BJD MLA from Bhatli has also been named in the star campaigners list. Singh, a prominent leader from western Odisha, who played a key role in party’s victory in Padampur bypoll, was not named as an observer for Jharsuguda.

The 40-member star campaigners’ list of BJD include general secretary (organisation) of the party Pranab Prakash Das, vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra, finance minister Niranjan Pujari, industries minister Pratap Keshari Deb and minister for food supplies and consumer welfare Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak.