Naveen, Pandian among star campaigners of BJD

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and bureaucrat-turned-politician Kartik Pandian were on the list of 40 star campaigners released by the BJD for the first two phases of simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the State.

Naveen is contesting from two Assembly seats — Hinjili in Ganjam district and Kantabanji in Bolangir district — while Pandian is not in the poll fray.

BJD organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das, who is pitted against Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat, is also among the star campaigners.

Several ministers and senior BJD leaders are in the list, including Debi Prasad Mishra, Ranendra Pratap Swain, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Ashok Chandra Panda, Niranjan Pujari, Pratap Jena, Sasmit Patra and Pratap Keshari Deb, a party release said on Saturday. There are also five women leaders in the list, besides actor-turned-Rajya Sabha member Muzibulla Khan.

Elections to 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly constituencies in Odisha will be held in four phases on May 13, 20, 25 and June 1.