Campaign for Umerkote assembly bypoll ends today

Nabarangpur (Odisha), Nov 28 (PTI) The high voltage campaign for the November 30 by-election for Umerkote assembly constituency in Odisha came to an end this evening after whirlwind tours by several political leaders. The din and bustle of electioneering fell silent at 4 pm with senior BJP leader and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh hitting the campaign trail on the last day of campaign to bolster prospects of party candidate Dharmu Gond. Apart from Singh, a host of senior BJP leaders including state party president Jual Oram had who campaigned in the Maoist-hit constituency, came down on both Congress and ruling BJD over issues like corruption in the centre and Odisha respectively. While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik addressed poll meetings at Umerkote and Raighar on Friday to seek votes for the BJD candidate, senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pyari Mohan Mohapatra virtually camped in the area and made extensive tours to ensure victory of the regional party. BJD's campaign also saw whistle-stop tours by a number of state ministers, MPs and MLAs. Opposition Congress was also not far behind in its efforts to seek people's support with senior party leaders including former union minister Jagdish Tytler joining the electioneering besides OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik. Besides slamming the BJD government in the state for growing corruption and a series of scams including mining scandal, the Congress leaders accused the Naveen Patnaik government of failing to utilise central funds provided for several welfare and development programmes. District Election Officer and Collector Sivabrata Dash said now onwards as the campaign was over "anybody who is not the voter of Umerkote assembly constituency cannot remain with in its boundary till the polling is over on Nov30", according to election of code of conduct.     Meanwhile, despatch of polling parties began this evening from here to 162 booths spread over Umerkote assembly constituency. PTI COR SKN