JEYPORE: The entry of Chhattisgarh Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma in Koraput district as a Congress star campaigner has given a boost to the party’s prospects in Kotpad Assembly seat.
Lakhma is scheduled to visit different Assembly segments in both Koraput and Nabarangpur to propagate party’s poll agenda of farm loan waiver, pension of up to Rs 1,000 under social security scheme and minimum support price of paddy at Rs 2500 rupees per quintal.
Congress is the first party to have engaged a star campaigner from neighbouring Chhattisgarh to woo voters in the tribal areas of Koraput. The party recently formed the Government in Chhattisgarh, considered a bastion of BJP, last year.
Party workers in the region believe that the electoral gains in Chhattisgarh will enable Congress to perform well in the bordering districts of Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur in the ensuing polls.
Sources said, voters in rural areas of Malkangiri, Kotpad, Nabarangpur, Dabugam, Umerkote and Jharigam Assembly segments have close links with Chhattisgarh and their voting decision may be influenced by Congress’ performance in the neighbouring State. Congress leaders of Odisha believe that entry of star campaigners from Chhattisgarh would be beneficial for the party in the polls. Earlier, Chhattisgarh Congress leaders had met Kotpad MLA and Congress candidate Chandra Sekhar Majhi and held discussions on the strategies.