The Patkura Constituency has been a political hotbed of Odisha. The BJD Supremo, Naveen Patnaik is leaving no stone unturned in the election campaign efforts, especially keeping the opposition in mind.

1. Naveen Campaign in Patkura
Constituency

2. In his usual style as assured to the people of Bijepur in Bargarh district, BJD
President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday told the people of
Patkura that he would look after the area.

3. Naveen hit the campaign trail in Patkura just before three days of polling to the
Patkura Assembly seat.
The BJD Chief’s campaign is more seen as an attempt to defeat his decade
old arch rival Bijay Mohapatra than ensuing victory of party candidate Sabitri
Agarwal.

4. The Campaign drew impressive crowd in each of the stopovers in the
politically sensitive Patkura in District of Kendrapara.
The BJD Supremo speech was characteristically brief lasting a few minutes
confined to hardly three sentences.
“Bless me with your votes. Elect the BJD candidate Sabitri Agarwal on conch
symbol. I will personally take care of Patkura constituency”, the BJD
President said addressing crowd at various places of the constituency.

5. As Mr. Patnaik waved from the elevated platform of the hi-tech bus, there
was huge applause from the crowd, mostly comprising women, at all the
places where his campaign vehicle made stopovers.

6. It remains to be seen whether BJD candidate Ms. Agarwal, boosted by party
Supremo’s campaign trail, emerges victorious on 20 July Elections.
“I had come to see our popular leader Naveen Patnaik as he is doing every
thing for out survival”, said Mohini Rout, a Homemaker in Patkura.
Mr. Patnaik's poll campaign has ignited the voters, especially women, who are
flocking in large numbers.

7. And Mr. Patnaik’s announcement that he is taking care of Patkura personally
has gone down well with general voters.
The poll in Patkura had assumed great importance as Mr. Patnaik, with an
aura of invincibility hovering around him, had made Patkura poll contest as a
prestige battle.
The constituency was literally under siege with more than 50 lawmakers,
leaders and ministers deployed in 51 Gram Panchayats coming under the
Assembly seat.

8. BJP and Congress have also deployed senior leaders in electioneering. But, BJD
has got the better of its political opponents on numerical strength of leaders’
deployment.
Polling in Patkura Assembly seat which will be held on 20 July, which was initially
scheduled on 29 April, but it could not be held because of the death of BJD
candidate Bed Prakash Agarwal on 20 April.
Then, the Election Commission of India fixed 19 May as the date for polls in
Patkura. However, later it was further postponed following Superstorm FANI
devastated coastal districts on 3 May.

9. Congress’ Jayant Mohanty and BJP’s Bijoy Mohapatra are also seriously
contesting the poll.
BJP candidate Mr. Mohapatra, one of the vociferous critics of Mr.Patnaik, is
contesting from the seat in his bid to make an entry into State Legislative
Assembly since 2000.
Four-time Lawmaker, Mr. Mohapatra, one of the founders of the BJD, was
unceremoniously ousted from the party by Mr.Patnaik just before the 2000
Assembly polls.

10. Since then, he has not been able to make it to the State Legislative
Assembly. And this time, Mr. Mohapatra is confident of winning the seat.

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