Focus on farmers of W Odisha as parties line up top leaders

  • | Tuesday | 12th February, 2019

Addressing the media in Bargarh, Niranjan said, “Rahul is likely to visit Bargarh in the last week of February. “At the rally, Rahul will tell them about what the Congress can do for farmers if voted to power. This will be Rahul’s first visit to Bargarh district as Congress president. First up it will be BJP chief Amit Shah, who is expected to address a rally in Sambalpur on February 15. Niranjan was accompanied by senior Congress leaders Prakash Chandra Debata and Kisore Patel as well as those from the district.

Sambalpur: Though summer is still some time away, Western Odisha is getting ready to face some heat with top leaders of BJD, BJP and Congress scheduled to visit the region within the next fortnight. First up it will be BJP chief Amit Shah, who is expected to address a rally in Sambalpur on February 15. He will be followed by chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik, who will address a rally in Bargarh on February 21 with Rahul Gandhi likely to attend a rally in the same district in the last week of February.While the Congress is trying to capitalise on the electoral success in Chhattisgarh, which shares its border with the western part of Odisha, the BJP is also hoping to repeat its feat in the 2017 panchayat election where it had managed to form Zilla Parishads in Bargarh, Sambalpur and Kalahandi. The BJD, meanwhile, is trying to improve its situation in the region, comprising around 40 assembly seats, where its strength is comparatively less.Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Pattnaik on Tuesday visited Bargarh for selecting the venue for Rahul’s rally. Niranjan was accompanied by senior Congress leaders Prakash Chandra Debata and Kisore Patel as well as those from the district. Addressing the media in Bargarh, Niranjan said, “Rahul is likely to visit Bargarh in the last week of February. The date is yet to be finalised.”Sources in the party said Rahul is likely to visit the district on February 27. Three places have been tentatively selected — the ground at Nua Sarsara on the Bargarh-Bolangir road, Jamurda and circus ground in Bargarh town. This will be Rahul’s first visit to Bargarh district as Congress president. Earlier, he had been to the district, known as the rice bowl of Odisha, in September 2015 when he was the party vice-president. At that time Rahul had led a “save farmer” march from Debahal to Attabira.Prakash said the Congress is committed to work for the farmers, youth, poor and downtrodden. “Since western Odisha is an agricultural region, farmers and the issues related to agriculture will be focus of our rally here,” Prakash said.He added that farmers of the state have now started seeing Congress as a viable option after its performance in bordering Chhattisgarh where the party announced farm loan waiver soon after it came to power. “At the rally, Rahul will tell them about what the Congress can do for farmers if voted to power. Moreover, his visit ahead of the elections will enthuse the Congress workers and boost their moral to work for the victory of the party in the ensuing polls,” he said. Chief minister Naveen is scheduled to address the farmers at Sohela, the same panchayat where he had addressed a rally in November 2015. Sources in the BJD said a target has been set to gather at least one lakh people in the rally.Meanwhile, the BJP president will address a rally to strengthen the party base in western Odisha. He will address booth-level workers of four Parliament constituencies — Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Bargarh and Dhenkanal and prepare the party for the forthcoming elections.

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