 "Naveen to hit campaign trail today")
Chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik will kick off election campaign from his home turf Hinjili in Ganjam district on Wednesday. Patnaik is seeking re-election from the assembly constituency for the fourth time.
The BJD chief's campaign will take off with a roadshow at Sheragada, a block headquarter town. During his day-long campaign, Patnaik will cover almost all panchayat headquarters in two blocks-Sheragada and Hinjili.
While Hinjili is a notified area council (NAC), Sheragada and Hinjili blocks have 22 and 21 panchayats respectively.
The regional satrap's victory margin is only expected to grow further with the Opposition Congress fielding a political greenhorn - Sibaram Patra. Other candidates in the battle include Rabi Rath (Samata Kranti Dal) Debananda Mohapatra (BJP) and Rama Krushna Das, an independent candidate.
"His visit will be a moral boost to the party workers and we are sure the victory margin of Patnaik will increase this time," said Samiara Pradhan, former Zilla Parishad member.
Patnaik's campaign trail will extend beyond his home constituency with roadshows planned at Berhampur and Gopalpur on Wednesday. He is also likely to cover other assembly segments in Ganjam district like Aska, Sanakhemundi and Sorada on Thursday morning.
The ruling BJD decided to go it alone in the 2014 polls, spurning pre-poll alliance offers from Left parties like CPI and CPM. Ahead of the 2009 polls, the regional party had severed its ties with the BJP.
The BJD chief's campaign will take off with a roadshow at Sheragada, a block headquarter town. During his day-long campaign, Patnaik will cover almost all panchayat headquarters in two blocks-Sheragada and Hinjili.
While Hinjili is a notified area council (NAC), Sheragada and Hinjili blocks have 22 and 21 panchayats respectively.
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Patnaik has emerged triumphant from the Hinjili seat three times on a trot. In 2000, he trounced his nearest rival from the Congress with a margin of 26,417 votes. In the succeeding elections, his win margin has only soared - 42,642 in 2004 and 61,273 in 2009, a pointer to his growing appeal among the voters.
The regional satrap's victory margin is only expected to grow further with the Opposition Congress fielding a political greenhorn - Sibaram Patra. Other candidates in the battle include Rabi Rath (Samata Kranti Dal) Debananda Mohapatra (BJP) and Rama Krushna Das, an independent candidate.
"His visit will be a moral boost to the party workers and we are sure the victory margin of Patnaik will increase this time," said Samiara Pradhan, former Zilla Parishad member.
Patnaik's campaign trail will extend beyond his home constituency with roadshows planned at Berhampur and Gopalpur on Wednesday. He is also likely to cover other assembly segments in Ganjam district like Aska, Sanakhemundi and Sorada on Thursday morning.
The ruling BJD decided to go it alone in the 2014 polls, spurning pre-poll alliance offers from Left parties like CPI and CPM. Ahead of the 2009 polls, the regional party had severed its ties with the BJP.
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