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Bhubaneswar: The three major political parties in Odisha - BJP, BJD and Congress - are bracing up for the high-voltage fight for Patkura Assembly seat under the Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency. The parties have started mobilising their machinery and currently busy preparing game plans for the poll.
On Monday, BJD leaders met at Naveen Niwas to chalk out strategies for the poll battle on July 20. The ruling-party's Patkura candidate Sabitri Agarwalla’s son Sanjay Agarwalla, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Kishore Tarai and Sushant Singh were present in the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
As per reports, the meeting discussed the unhappiness among party activists in Garadpur and Marshaghai block which will play key role in Patkura result. Meanwhile, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak has been given charge of Marshaghai block while Ranendra Pratap Swain will look after the poll preparations in Garadpur block.
“There is no resentment in the party; we have people’s support and they will vote for us during the ensuing poll. The CM also boosted our morale in the meeting,” said Sanjay Agarwalla.
The BJP, which calls the Patkura poll as a fight for 'Swabhiman', is also chalking out its strategies for the election. The saffron party's poll campaign in the Assembly constituency is likely to be led by two Union Ministers.
“The party leadership has started work at the panchyat and booth levels. I expect the people of Patkura will help Bijoy Mohapatra win the seat,” said Odisha BJP general secretary, Prithviraj Harichandan.
On the allegations of Congress that the Patkura poll is 'fixed' and the BJP and the BJD are going to have a 'friendly match', Harichandan said, "Congress does not know who is their leader. They should not engage in verbal duel with other parties and think of getting some votes in the ensuing poll so that they do not lose amanat."
Congress, on the other hand, is confident that the people of Patkura will vote for party candidate Jayanta Kumar Mohanty as they know that the BJD and the BJP are working hand in glove.
“OPCC chief Niranjan Patnaik has discussed about the Patkurta poll with senior party leadership in Delhi over phone; a team will soon visit Patkura," said Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
After winning so many MLAs in 2019 poll, CM Naveen is considering the win of Patkura as a prestige issue. Hence, he is conducting meetings every day, he added.
On the other hand, some BJP and Congress leaders are also of the view that CM Naveen is hell-bent not to let Bijoy Mohapatra enter the Odisha Assembly and he will do anything for the same. Besides, some political experts beleive that Patkura will witness a clash between 'swabhiman' and 'ego' on July 20.
