Bhubaneswar: Reiterating his decision to field Rita Sahu, wife of late Subal Sahu, for Bijepur byelection, CM and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik after returning from Delhi on Sunday said he will go to Bijepur seeking votes for the party candidate.
On a media query on whether he will visit the bypoll-bound constituency for campaigning, he replied, "Yes, of course. Several party leaders will also campaign for our candidate Rita Sahu."
Reacting to the BJD supremo's campaign move, BJP leaders said he must inform the people about his contribution to Bargarh district.
"He should campaign for his candidate. But at the same time, he and his party leaders should tell people what they have done for Bijepur and Bargarh district in their 17 years of rule," said Arun Singh, BJP State in-charge who is scheduled to attend party's 'Mishran Parv' in Bijepur where former MLA Ashok Panigrahi will join the saffron party formally today.
While the BJP is yet to announce their candidate for the ensuing Bijepur byelection, it is widely speculated that Panigrahi will be fielded for the poll once he formally joins the party. He along with his supporters will join BJP in presence of top leaders Dharmendra Pradhan, Jual Oram and other senior leaders of the party from the state at a public gathering.