Odishatv Bureau

Bhubaneswar: Campaigning for the November 22 urban local body (ULB) elections in 20 ULBs of nine districts of western Odisha came to an end today with leaders of all the parties wooing the voters.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who is also president of the BJD, campaigned at Brajraj Nagar, Jharsuguda and Deogarh, OPCC president Jaydev Jena canvassed for the party candidates at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district.

BJP state president K V Singhdeo concentrated for the party candidates at Patnagarh, his home town in Bolangir district.

"I have been campaigning for the BJD candidates in different western Odisha towns. I expect that the party candidates will perform well in the November 22 elections," Naveen Patnaik said.

OPCC president Jaydev Jena, who campaigned for the party candidates, said "the mood is in favour of the Congress candidates. I have seen anger among the people against the BJD candidates."

BJP president K V Singhdeo said "BJD has been spending a lot of money in the urban polls. But, they have to bite the dust here in Bolangir and other western Odisha districts."

Of the 20 ULBs going to polls on Friday, the BJP has formed councils in seven places followed by Congress in six places while the ruling BJD has only five ULB seats in the previous ULB polls in 2008.

"This time, we are hopeful that the BJD will certainly do better than both BJP and Congress," said BJD leader and state Agriculture minister Debi Prasad Mishra.

Meanwhile, State Election Commission (SEC) Ajit Kumar Tripathy said all preparations have been made for the polling on Friday. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.

Tripathy said tight security arrangements have been made in sensitive booths.

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