27-May-2024 06:40 PM
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Bhubaneswar, May 27 (Reporter) All the three major political parties in Odisha have intensified their campaign for the final phase election on June 1.
Out of 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats, six Lok Sabha and 42 Assembly seats are going to polls in the last phase.
Electioneering in the last and final phase will be a deciding factor as the three political parties will like to make up whatever the shortcomings they have in the last three phases of elections.
Both ruling Biju Janata Dal and the main Opposition BJP, meanwhile, have claimed that they will form the next government in the state. Both parties had even announced the oath taking day of the formation of the government.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik claimed that the BJD will form a stable government in the state, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have emphatically said for the first time a double engine government will be formed in Odisha, dislodging the BJD government, which had ruled the state for the last 25 years.
As the last and final phase of election approaches, the three major political parties - the BJD, BJP and Congress - have chalked out a massive electioneering of holding a series of public meetings to woo the voters in support of their party candidates before the campaign ends on May 30.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha again on May 29 on his fourth leg of electioneering in support of party candidates.
BJP sources here said Modi will address three public meetings during his day-long visit to the state on May 29 as Odisha goes to the fourth and final phase of polls for six Lok Sabha and 42 Assembly seats on June 1.
The Prime Minister had already visited Odisha thrice on May 6, May 10 and May 20 and addressed as many as seven public meetings, besides two road shows, one at Bhubaneswar and the other in the pilgrim town of Puri.
During his visit on May 29, Modi will address election rallies at Baripada in Mayurbhanj Parliamentary constituency, Remuna under Baleswar Lok Sabha seat and Kendrapara where party’s Vice President Baijayant Panda is contesting the prestigious Lok Sabha seat,considered as the bastion of Biju Janata Dal.
Elections to 15 Lok Sabha and 105 Assembly seats were completed in three phases in the state on May 13,May 20 and May 25 last, leaving six more Lok Sabha and 42 Assembly seats to go to the polls on June 1.
However, the political pundits said the fourth phase of election is most vital and will be deciding factor as to which political party will ultimately rule the state.
In a last bid to boost to prospect of BJP capturing the power, dislodging the BJD government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, which has been ruling the state for five consecutive terms, the Odisha BJP has lined up its star campaigners for a high profile campaign holding series of public meetings from Monday onwards.
Party sources said Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also visiting the state on May 29 to attend the election meetings at Chandbali, Panikoili and Nimapada.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, have already started campaigning and addressing public meetings from Monday leaving no stone unturned to woo the voters in support of party candidates.
These three BJP star campaigners will address a series of public meetings in coastal odisha ,a stronghold of the ruling Biju Janata Dal( BJD).
In the 2019 elections, the ruling BJD had captured four of the six Lok Sabha and 34 of the 42 Assembly seats, while the BJP won two Lok Sabha and 8 Assembly seats.
Voting will be held for Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur,Kendrapara, and Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seats , three of them being reserved for SC, two for general and one ST seat and 42 assembly seats coming under three Parliamentary constituencies.
The ruling BJD, also in a bid to protect their fort, has mobilised all its forces and deputed several party leaders to camp in both Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies, going to polls on June 1.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his most trusted bureaucrat turned politician ,V K Pandian , considered as the most powerful man in the party, next to Naveen, have also chalked out whirlwind tours of the constituencies to hold election meetings and campaign for the party candidates.
The Congress has also decided to launch an aggressive campaign and roped in party President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi, who will be visiting the state on May 29 and 30 respectively.
Congress party sources said its President Mallikarjun Kharge will address a public meeting in Balasore on May 29 in support of party candidate and former Union Minister Srikant Jena and another public meeting at Bhadrak
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi,during his third leg of electioneering, will address a meeting in Simulia coming under Bhadrak Lok Sabha constituency on May 30...////...