Naveen, Oram, Pyari hit campaign trail in Cuttack

Cuttack: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday campaigned for BJD candidates here for the next week's civic body elections just a day after the party, in an apparent show of overconfidence, said it would not need a poll manifesto to retain the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC).

Accompanied by several of his cabinet colleagues, Patnaik visited some wards of the CMC coming under Cuttack Sadar and Choudwar-Cuttack Assembly segments.

Patnaik expressed the hope that the party candidates would do better in the CMC poll.

But the infighting in BJD over ticket distribution came to the fore during Patnaik's visit when some party workers protested against the Cuttack Sadar MLA Kalindi Behera over ticket distribution.

The BJD has seen such fracas over ticket distribution earlier this month when party workers ransacked the house of Choudwar-Cuttack MLA Pravat Biswal and assaulted his younger brother.

Former state BJP President Jual Oram also campaigned for his party nominees here in the city. BJP has fielded candidates in all the 59 wards of the city.

Accompanied with former local MLA Samir Dey, Oram visited several wards and canvassed for the party candidates.

Oram said the people have seen the performance of the BJP mayor when the party in alliance with BJD had formed the CMC council from 2003 to 2009.

"Voters have now seen the five-year misrule of corrupt BJD and I am sure they (voters) will not repeat their mistakes again," Oram said.

Odisha Jana Morcha president and Rajya Sabha member Pyari Mohan Mohapatra too campaign for his party's candidates.

The newly formed political party has fielded nominees in at least 21 wards of the city.

Congress leader and Union Minister Srikant Jena along with OPCC chief Jaydev Jena would hit the roads on Saturday to canvass for the party candidates.