Srikant Jena (centre) and other Congress leaders campaign in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 30: Union minister Srikant Jena and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Jaydev Jena today launched the party’s campaign for the January 8 municipal corporation polls from Badhei Banka Square near Lingaraj Temple.

Thousands of Congress supporters with party flags in hands cheered the leaders on the dais, where the candidates for various wards were introduced to the public and the supporters.

The party has fielded 62 candidates in the civic polls despite the city having 67 wards.

As the Lingaraj temple is the holiest shrine in the entire Ekamra Kshetra or old Bhubaneswar area, the party leadership decided to launch the official campaign from the Ekamra Assembly constituency and with the blessings of the Lord.

Both the senior Congress leaders slammed the state government for failing to utilise the central assistance in a proper manner. They cited the example of the Bindusagar renovation programme in Old Town, financed under various schemes. However, work is yet to complete.

While the Union minister alleged that the state government was misleading the people by suppressing vital facts, the PCC chief said once the Congress councillors formed the new council, all corrupt practices of the local civic body would stop.

The Congress supporters came to the venue in a colourful rally from Mausi Maa Square. Several district and state-level leaders and office-bearers were present. Today’s meeting was the first election meeting of the party. Two similar meetings will be organised in Bhubaneswar (north) and central Assembly constituencies in the near future.

“We have taken an oath to defeat the BJD candidates and capture the council as in the past under the leadership of Jagannath Mohapatra. The disparity in fund allocation to different regions of the city should stop and areas such as Old Town and the city outskirts must get proper funding for various development projects,” said former councillor and district Congress committee president Pratap Jena.

Former minister Suresh Kumar Routray said: “BJD has won the civic polls in the coastal and western Odisha through money power. We should be vigilant and check such a strategy so that they cannot influence voters in the capital.”

Another district Congress committee president Manoranjan Das said: “The ward-wise campaigns will be carried out from tomorrow and senior leaders will accompany the candidates in 62 wards.” The party has also constituted a committee of 60 leaders from the PCC to have several teams to cover each ward.

BJD vice-president and parliamentary affairs minister Kalpataru Das said: “The allegations by the Congress leaders are baseless and they are only showing their weakness in public rallies by projecting fictitious tales against the ruling party and the people-centric government.”

BJP state president K.V. Singhdeo said: “We are going to intensify the campaign after Wednesday.”