Tug of war in Odisha: To fight with CM Naveen Patnaik BJP fields Pitamber Acharya in Hinjili

Bhubaneshwar, Mar 25: The temperature of the country is rising not only because of summer approaches but also the elections are coming close. The strategies and moves are planning in every war room. With a strategic outlook, BJP moved her another pawn, BJP places Pitamber Acharya to compete with CM Naveen Patnaik.

The BJP Monday named party's state vice-president Pitamber Acharya as its candidate against ruling BJD president and CM Naveen Patnaik, who is seeking re-election from Hinjili assembly seat in Odisha's Ganjam district.

Patnaik has been elected to the assembly four times in a row from Hinjili since 2000.

Acharya's name as party candidate from Hinjili was announced in a separate press release issued by the BJP's central office.

Pitamber Acharya is a senior advocate of Orissa High Court and also the BJP's spokesman. In the last week, Acharya was assigned with the responsibility of the party’s Vice President. The first time candidate, Acharya was in the politics from his student age and he was also the president of student’s union of BJB college in the 90s.

After the confirmation of candidate from Hinjili Assembly seat, Acharya said, “He would contest against the CM to win the polls”.

As per the BJP statement, Acharya was interested to contest from Cuttack Lok Sabha seat. But the party fielded former Odisha DGP Prakash Mishra in Cuttack and decided to pit him against the chief minister.

Patnaik, who is pursuing re-election for the fifth consecutive time, had filed his nomination papers for Hinjili at Chhatrapur in Ganjam district on March 20.

Polling in the seat, which falls under Aska Lok Sabha seat, will be held in the second phase on April 18.