Bargarh: Following the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJP) in the Dhamnagar assembly by-poll in Odisha on Sunday, both the parties have now decided to hand over the campaign responsibility for the upcoming assembly by-election at Padampur in Bargarh. District to senior leaders of the parties concerned.
The by-election in Padampur, necessitated after the death of 64-year-old BJD MLA and prominent tribal leader Bijaya Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3, has been scheduled for December 5.
Not takeing any chances for the assembly bypoll in Padampur, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has asked former Rajya Sabha MP and veteran BJD leader Prasanna Acharya to campaign in the constituency.
Niranjan Pujari will look after the Padampur block, while Naba Das will head the Paikmal block. Jharbandha block has been allotted to Rajendra Dholakia.
Besides, BJD leaders Tukuni Sahu, Devesh Acharya, Snehangini Churia, Rita Sahu, Saroj Meher and Pushpendra Singhdeo have been asked to campaign in the constituency.
Meanwhile, buoyed by the Dhamnagar victory, the BJP has decided to put veteran leader and Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari, Kalahandi MP Basant Panda and Leader of Opposition Jai Narayan Mishra in charge of campaigning in Padampur. BJP's state in-charge Sunil Bansal and senior leader Daggubati Purandeshwari will soon visit Padampur to take stock of the party's preparations.
