Bhubaneswar, April 19: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has decided not to hold any public rallies or campaign meetings in Pipili bypoll, announces Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday.
“Every life is precious and I always consider people of #Odisha as my family members. In this extremely serious #COVID19 situation amidst surge in cases in the country, @bjd_odisha has decided not to hold any public rallies or campaign meetings in Pipili bypoll,” tweeted Patnaik.
BJD as a responsible party will not like to put the lives of people in danger. We contest elections to serve people, said Patnaik.
“If the campaign has potential to endanger lives, I would earnestly appeal to political parties & @ECISVEEP to reconsider both the duration & method of campaigning,” wrote Patnaik.
India is a mature democracy and together we can come out with a solution. Democracy is by the people, for the people and of the people, added the Chief Minister.
By-election in the constituency will be held on May 13, which was earlier countermanded following death of Congress nominee Ajit Mangaraj.
The bypoll, necessitated following death of sitting MLA Pradeep Maharathy, was originally scheduled on April 17.
Only Congress party will get a chance to file a fresh nomination as per the ECI norms.
Mangaraj, the Congress nominee in the by-election, died of Covid-19 on Wednesday, three days before the scheduled date of the bypoll, following which the returning officer adjourned the poll.
