Odisha’s coastal belt has never been a fertile ground for the lotus to bloom. But the BJP is trying hard this time to make inroads in the region which is considered a Biju Janata Dal stronghold.
The saffron party has handpicked candidates for some of the most prestigious seats in this belt, including Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack – the last one widely seen as the gateway to the coast.
In Puri, BJP’s national spokesperson, Sambit Patra has been sweating it out under the scorching sun in a bid to trump BJD stalwart and three-time MP, Pinaki Mishra. Clad in dhoti-kurta, his forehead smeared with sandal paste, Patra has been tramping through villages, often dining with common people in their houses. Visuals of Patra in the typical Odia rural gear have gone viral on the social media.