Bhubaneswar, May 22: A bypoll for a ward has become a prestige issue for the BJD.

The ruling party is leaving no stone unturned in an attempt to win the May 24 by-election for ward No. 19, which consists of colonies such as N-1, N-2, N-3, N-4 of Nayapalli, Reserve Bank of India Colony and localities near the Iskcon temple scheduled.

The mayor of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, three city MLAs, all 46 councillors and district-level workers of the ruling party are camping in the locality to win the seat.

The by-poll was necessitated by the death of councillor Sanghamitra Samal on January 28. The corporation sought nominations between May 6 and 8 and the scrutiny was done between May 10 and 13. The model code of conduct was enforced on April 29.

While the BJD has given its ticket to Manasi Sundaray, the Congress has chosen Sasmita Swain and the BJP Kunirani Mohapatra. Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena is hopeful that BJD will come out with flying colours and revive its 2007 success story. “Our candidate is the sister-in-law of Samal. We will bank on the good work done by the former councillor by promising voters to continue welfare work,” he said.

District president of the BJP Amiya Das, however, alleged that the BJD supporters were using monetary power to win the by-election.

“After losing three by-elections of notified area councils in western Odisha recently, the BJD is suffering from fear psychosis. They want to win this ward election by hook or by crook and so the party is using black money,” he said.

Das said the BJP was following democratic principles and had faith in contacts through door-to-door campaigns. “We will win this time as our candidate has a credential of years of social service,” he said.

Like the BJP, the Congress too is banking on door-to-door campaigns. Campaign manager Kishore Jena, who was the MLA candidate for Bhubaneswar (Central) during the last Assembly poll, asked: “Why is the ruling BJD feeling so threatened by a bypoll involving a single ward? The way MPs, ministers, MLAs, senior party workers and councillors have been deployed, it seems the BJD is afraid of losing the coming civic and general elections.”

Jena said the Congress’s campaign would expose the BJD’s corruption in the city involving plantation drives, civic amenities and facilities for the urban poor.

Sources said the BJD was spending over Rs 50 lakh for campaigns by councillors alone. The 46 councillors are now engaged in poster campaigns and distribution of leaflets. “Five major slums in the ward — Govind Basti, Iskcon Basti, Sahu Colony, Behera Basti and Adivasi Basti — will help in deciding the winning candidate,” said a local BJD worker.