BJP, Congress, BJD line up heavyweights for campaign in high-stakes Nuapada bypoll in Odisha

Nuapada: Nuapada town in Odisha is set to witness an intense high-profile campaign ahead of the bypoll November 11, with the BJP, Congress and BJD lining up an array of heavyweight leaders, including three Chief Ministers, three former CMs and three Union ministers, to woo voters.

Among the star campaigners are Odisha’s BJP CM Mohan Charan Majhi, Telangana’s Congress CM A Revanth Reddy and Chhattisgarh’s BJP CM Vishnu Deo Sai.

Former Chief Ministers Naveen Patnaik and Giridhar Gamang of Odisha, and Bhupesh Baghel of Chhattisgarh will also hit the campaign trail. While Patnaik heads the Opposition BJD, Gamang and Baghel belong to the Congress.

The BJP has also listed three Union ministers, Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Jual Oram, as part of its star campaigners. Odisha’s two Deputy CMs, KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, will also join the campaign for the BJP candidate.

Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Rajasthan’s former deputy CM Sachin Pilot will campaign for Congress as well, besides former JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar and AICC’s state in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu.

The Congress’s list of star campaigners also features the chiefs of the party’s women, youth and student wings — Alka Lamba, Uday Bhanu Chib and Varun Choudhury.

In the three-way contest, the BJP has fielded Jay Dholakia, son of BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia, whose death September 8 necessitated the bypoll.

The BJD has nominated its women’s wing president Snehangini Chhuria, while the Congress has fielded veteran leader Ghasiram Majhi.

The campaign trail will also see actor-turned-politicians Sidhant Mahapatra, Anubhav Mohanty and Akash Das Nayak, all previously associated with the BJD, returning to the hustings, this time for the BJP.

The campaign is expected to gather full momentum after Diwali and the completion of nominations October 20. Nuapada has over 2.53 lakh voters.

PTI

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