Kendrapara: Srikant Sahoo has been an old stallion in the panchayat polls in Odisha, but the sexagenarian is not leaving anything to chance as he bets on a horse for a galloping campaign and canter to victory.
The contestant for the panchayat samiti member’s post in Kendrapara district has taken an unusual mode of campaigning by mounting on a horse to catch voters’ attention.
Sahoo traverses through the dusty lanes and streets of Sanajaria gram panchayat in Pattamundai block, around 100 km northeast of Bhubaneswar.
“I’m campaigning on horseback to maintain social distancing norms. It’s also a form of protest against the rising fuel prices,” the 62-year-old said.
Sahoo got elected as the panchayat samiti member from Aradapalli in the 2017 rural polls.
This time, the sexagenarian is trying out his electoral luck from the neighbouring panchayat as Aradapali has been reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates.
“One of my friends gave his horse to me for canvassing in the election. My intention isn’t to attract the voters by such an unusual campaigning method,” Sahoo said.
Locals are of the view that the campaign was dull due to the coronavirus pandemic and the State Election Commission’s ban on rallies and meetings.
They felt that Sahoo has added colour to the polls by campaigning on horseback.
Polling is scheduled to be held in five phases from February 16. Only Zilla Parishad members contest the panchayat elections with party symbols in Odisha.
The votes will be counted February 26, 27 and 28 at block offices.
PTI