Naveen Patnaik to fight Odisha Assembly elections from Kantabanji, and his long-held Hinjili constituency
The Hindu
Biju Janata Dal announced to field Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik from Kantabanji Assembly constituency in Balangir district
In an effort to thwart the Bharatiya Janata Party’s aspirations to replicate its 2019 triumph in the Lok Sabha election in western Odisha, the Biju Janata Dal on April 17 announced to field Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik from Kantabanji Assembly constituency in Balangir district.
Mr. Patnaik will now be contesting upcoming Assembly elections from two seats — Hinjili, his long-held seat in his home district of Ganjam and now Kantabanji.
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With Odisha’s CM maintaining unprecedented popularity compared to other leaders in the State, the regional party is poised to capitalize on it.
Kantabanji’s strategic position, situated near three Lok Sabha seats in western Odisha—Kalahandi, Balangir, and Bargarh, all claimed by the BJP in 2019—makes it a pivotal choice. As Mr. Patnaik’s tour plans are finalized, his cavalcade will undoubtedly crisscross the heartland of western Odisha.
The Odisha CM had contested from Bijepur, apart from Hinjili, in 2019 election. The location of Bijepur was, however, noted to be at the far end of the region. BJD insiders said that the party intended to leverage Mr. Patnaik’s candidacy momentum across all other western Odisha Lok Sabha constituencies.
Following the successful completion of three major irrigation infrastructure projects, the BJD supremo would be launching a whirlwind tour of the region to further connect with voters. The irrigation projects are — the Gangadhar Meher Lift Irrigation project in Bargarh, Lower Suktel Irrigation Project in Balangir and Upper Indravati Lift Canal system in Kalahandi. Thousands of farmers are benefited by the irrigation projects.
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