Kendrapara (Odish). Shrikant Sahu has been a tall leader in the Panchayat elections in Odisha, but he is leaving no stone unturned this time to win the elections and is campaigning on horseback. Sahu, a candidate for the post of Panchayat Samiti member in Kendrapara district, is campaigning on a horse to attract the attention of voters.
Sahu walks through the dusty lanes of the Sanajaria gram panchayat in the Pattamundai section, about 100 km northeast of Bhubaneswar. The 62-year-old leader said, “I am campaigning on a horse to follow the rules of social distance. It is also a way of protesting against rising fuel prices.”
Sahu was elected as a Panchayat Samiti member from Aradapalli in the 2017 rural elections. This time he is trying his luck from the neighboring panchayat as Aradapalli is reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates. He said, “A friend of mine gave me one of his horses to campaign for in the elections. It is not my intention to attract the attention of voters through this extraordinary means of campaigning.”
Locals believe that the campaign has faded due to the coronavirus pandemic and the state election commission banning rallies and public meetings. They feel that Sahu has added color to the elections by campaigning on a horse. Polling for Panchayat elections in Odisha will begin in five phases from February 16. Only Zilla Parishad members can contest Panchayat elections in Odisha with the party symbol. Counting of votes will take place on February 26, 27 and 28.