Bhubaneswar: The BJD on Wednesday got into election mode by announcing the "Save Mahanadi campaign", the second phase of its movement to protect Odisha's interests in the river row. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will flag off the event in west Odisha on May 16.

The campaign will cover more than 1,500km along the banks of the Mahanadi and crisscross 45 Assembly constituencies in 15 districts before culminating at Paradip, where the river meets the Bay of Bengal.

However, the Opposition termed the campaign as politically motivated. The Congress has also made it clear it will not let the BJD a free run on the emotive river issue.

The BJD on Wednesday deputed all its senior leaders, including party vice-president Prasanna Acharya, Debi Prasad Mishra, general secretaries Sanjay Das Burma and Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and secretary Bijay Nayak, to brief the media on the campaign.

BJD MP Acharya said: "A conspiracy has been hatched by both Chhattisgarh and the Centre against the state. As Chhattisgarh has already closed the gates of the Kalma barrage, its impact on the lower Mahanadi has been felt. The fishing communities from Lakhanpur area have started leaving their villages as the river has turned dry."

He said: "It's not an political issue for us. The state's interest and the life of 4.21 crore people are linked to Mahanadi. We will create awareness on the need of saving the river. We appeal to all sections of the people to join the campaign."

Dasburma said: "The campaign will be launched from both Jharsuguda and Bargarh districts."

As the campaign moves on along the river, the BJD will organise street-corner meetings and cultural events to educate people on the fight to need to save the Mahanadi. Those taking part in the campaign will make night halts in villages.

Not to be left behind and to take the sting out of the BJD's agitation, the Congress will organise a "Mahanadi Bachhao" campaign in west Odisha. However, it's yet to announce the programme details, even though state Congress working president Naba Das had made a statement to the effect last week.

State Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik said: "We will not compromise on Mahanadi. Both the BJD and the BJP have done great damage to the state on the issue. I am going to attend an all-party meeting on May 4 on the issue in Sambalpur and will soon take a stand on the row."

BJP spokesperson Samir Mohanty said: "Earlier, the BJD had tried to make political issue before the panchayat election. But it did not work. This time it will fail too."