ROURKELA: BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik struck a chord with the rural folks of Sundargarh district during his two-day poll campaign while the Opposition parties were left to sulk. Naveen on Thursday attended two public meetings at Hathibari of Birmitrapur Assembly segment and Lahunipara of Bonai Assembly segment before flying out around noon. His address was identical as he vehemently projected his government as a pioneer of rural progress with specific focus on uplift of tribals and poor people. Naveen accused the Opposition parties of working to meet their selfish ends and reiterated his commitment to work for the progress of the State. Naveen’s electrifying campaigns gave the local BJD leaders hope of wresting the prestigious Sundargarh Zilla Parishad council from Congress. The village women were visibly moved by his charisma. At Hathibari, a sexagenarian woman, Phulmati Bag said she had heard about the CM and came to the meeting to see him in flesh and blood. The BJD poll managers had brought Naveen to Hathibari to neutralise the influence of tribal leader and Independent MLA George Tirkey who is the chief rival for all parties in Birmitrapur segment. Similarly, Naveen addressing a large gathering at Lahunipara was mainly to check State BJP chief Jual Oram in his home-turf of Bonai Assembly segment. On Wednesday, Naveen tried to make inroads into the Sundargarh Sadar, Talsara and Rajgangpur Assembly segments which are Congress bastions. While Opposition parties claimed Naveen’s impact would fizzle out before the polls, observers view that it would throw up wonders for BJD. Jual put up a brave front claiming that BJP votes would not be affected. He also charged BJD of ferrying supporters from far-flung areas incurring huge expenditures and added that the Saffron party would complain to the State Election Commission as 150 vehicles were allegedly pressed into service at Lahunipara.Congress MP and former CM Hemanand Biswal, leading the campaign, could not be contacted.
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