Baripada: Mayurbhanj district goes to the polls April 29 in the fourth phase of elections. As polling date approaches the campaign here attains a feverish pitch with the BJD, BJP and the JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) organising numerous meetings.
The three major parties have been roping in star campaigners for the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat and its seven Assembly segments. Some heavyweight leaders of the three parties are camping here to woo voters.
All the seven Assembly segments are reverberating with roadshows, bike rallies, door-to-door campaigns and election meetings.
The district will see high profile campaigns Wednesday when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will participate in a roadshow and campaign for the BJD. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will be campaigning for the BJP and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will campaign for the JMM same day.
Naveen will hold a roadshow travelling in his high tech bus in Badasahi constituency Wednesday and at Baripada. He will halt for the night at Baripada. He will again hold a roadshow in Baripada Thursday.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan will come to the district Wednesday to hold roadshows in the seven Assembly segments. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is also coming to the district April 26. BJP president Amit Shah will address a rally in Morada April 27 to campaign for his party nominees.
The JMM has been trying hard to grab the votes of tribals, and has lined up two of its stalwarts to campaign for it. JMM president Sibu Soren will visit the district April 25.
The Congress is lagging behind in campaigning. The party has not yet brought any of its prominent state or national leaders to the district. But there are reports that the party will rope in its star campaigners during the last phase, although dates have not been announced.
Independents have been carrying out their own campaigns throughout the Lok Sabha constituency and its Assembly segments.