Bhubaneswar: Canvassing for his party candidate in the by-election to Dhamnagar constituency, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday asserted that development of the area is his responsibility and five years’ work will be completed in 18 months.
Addressing the voters of the Dhamnagar constituency in Bhadrak district virtually, Patnaik who is also the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president urged them to elect a woman from the seat as “mothers work more efficiently”.
He is obviously referring to BJD nominee Abanti Das, the lone woman among the total five candidates. BJP MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi’s death necessitated the by-poll.
“I appeal to the people of Dhamnagar to elect a woman as their MLA. The development of Dhamnagar is my responsibility and we will ensure that five years’ work is completed in the next 18 months,” Patnaik said.
By “18 months”, he apparently referred to the next assembly election in the state which is due in 2024. The 2019 poll was held in April along with the Lok Sabha election.
Patnaik urged people to protect the identity of Dhamnagar as the land of “peace and amity”.
His address in the virtual mode was shown on large screens at 13 places in Dhamnagar.
Though BJP’s Bishnu Charan Sethi had won the 2019 assembly elections, Patnaik claimed that the people changed their opinion in the recently concluded panchayat and civic polls and voted en-masse for the BJD.
The BJD won all six Zilla Parishad seats and 9 of 11 wards of Dhamnagar Notified Area Council (NAC) in the panchayat and civic polls held in February and April respectively this year.
“I am optimistic that the people will repeat it,” Patnaik said.
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