Bhubaneswar: BJD Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today embarked on a high-voltage roadshow in Bhubaneswar appealing the voters to repose faith in him and BJD candidates.
The roadshow, which drew thousands of BJD supporters, people from various walks of life, passed through the main thoroughfares of the city with stepped up security.
Thousands of people lined up on both sides of the roadshow route to welcome him, and Shri Patnaik was seen telling the crowd that from July, there would be no electricity bill.
The ruling BJD’s manifesto had promised to provide free electricity up to 100 units per month and a 50 percent subsidy from 100 to 150 units, benefiting what the party claimed to be about 90 percent of the population.
BJD’s MP candidate for the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat Manmath Routray, MLA nominee for the Bhubaneswar Central Assembly seat Ananta Narayan Jena and Mayor Sulochana Das among others took part in the roadshow.
The Chief Minister was aboard a special bus and he was seen waving at the crowds all along the way.
Before starting the roadshow, Shri Pandian asked his opinion about the roadshow, Shri Patnaik with a smiling face replied, “I am always delighted to be with the people of Odisha.”
The Chief Minister has participated in the roadshow for the first time in this election while senior BJD leader and his close aide V K Pandian has been holding such evening in different parts of the State during his campaigning trails.
At the same time, BJP’s top leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and President J P Nadda have held roadshows in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack cities.
The series of roadshows by the BJP and the ruling BJD in the state has surcharged the political atmosphere in the run-up to the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha.
On this morning, BJP National President Nadda held another road show in the state capital, which began from Mausima Temple to Lingaraj Temple, with BJP parliamentary candidate Aparajita Sarangi and BJP Ekamra Assembly candidate Babu Singh.
After completing the roadshow, Nadda went to the Lingaraj Temple and offered prayers before leaving for Padampur in Western Odisha, where he addressed a public meeting. He then proceeded to Sundargarh to address another election meeting in support of party candidates.
The first road show was held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 10, when a sea of humanity converged on both sides of the 2.5 km stretch of the busy Janpath in the state capital, from the party office to Vani Vihar.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also held a road show in Cuttack city on Wednesday evening, accompanied by the party’s Cuttack Lok Sabha candidate Bhartruhari Mahatab, a six-time MP who recently quit the BJD and joined the BJP. Along with Shri Mahatab, BJP’s Barbati Cuttack MLA Dr. Purna Chandra Mohapatra and other MLA candidates joined the roadshow.
BJP sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also hold another roadshow in Puri on May 20. Modi will first visit the Sri Jagannath Temple at 7 AM to offer prayer to Lord Jagannath on May 20 before holding the roadshow on the Grand Road of Puri.