BHUBANESWAR: The BJD has decided to draft about 30 MLAs, mostly tribals, for campaigning in the November 30 Umerkote by-election in a bid to retain the seat. Sources said the MLAs will be in charge of panchayats along with senior local leaders. About half-a-dozen ministers will be in charge of overall electioneering which is picking up slowly. Leaders from outside the district, including MLAs, will reach the constituency for campaigning around November 17. Some senior MPs besides Koraput MP Jayram Pangi will also campaign. Though Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will campaign, sources said his schedule is yet to be finalised. The Congress campaign will be spearheaded by OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik. Party MP from Nabarangpur Pradip Majhi will also campaign for the candidate. Several senior leaders, including former minister Jagannath Patnaik and former MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati will also play important roles. The BJP campaign team will be headed by State unit president Jual Oram. Sources in the party said to counter Naveen, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh is also likely to address a couple of public meetings in the constituency. BJP MP from Bastar Dinesh Kashyap has already started campaigning for the party candidate. Party spokesman and State unit vice-president Ashok Sahu said more central leaders are likely to campaign for the by-poll. Former Nabarangpur MP Parsuram Majhi, district unit vice-president Ramesh Sahu and former MLA Basant Panda are overall incharges of the campaign. Congress and BJP have upped the ante against the BJD with Niranjan and Ashok Sahu holding media conferences at Umerkote. Both the parties alleged that BJD had failed to keep election promises including establishment of a corn factory at Umerkote.
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