Copyright deccanchronicle
Nuapada (Odisha): Far from the air-conditioned comfort of his chamber at the State Secretariat in Bhubaneswar, Odisha food supplies and consumer welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra has set up camp in a humble farmer’s house in Parkod village of Nuapada district.For the next fortnight, this modest home belonging to farmer Sohita Sahu will double as the minister’s residence-cum-campaign office as he leads the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) mission for the Nuapada assembly bypoll scheduled for November 11.Each morning, Patra begins his day not with official files, but with a cup of tea and a laptop — tracking poll updates, taking calls from local leaders, and reviewing digital dashboards shared by party strategists. His temporary office buzzes with activity as workers drop by for instructions, campaign leaflets, and sometimes, a plate of chakuli pitha and ghuguni, freshly prepared in the makeshift kitchen by cooks brought from his native Dhenkanal.Known for his simple living, Patra appears completely at ease in his new setting.“I come from a farmer’s family. I can live anywhere — even under a temporary shed. For me, the mission matters more than comfort,” he smiles.His daily routine includes visiting nearby villages, sitting with farmers over tea, and addressing grassroots meetings. “Our government has given farmers an additional Rs 800 per quintal bonus above the MSP of Rs 2,300. Under the Subhadra Yojana, poor women receive Rs 10,000 annually. I am confident that farmers, women, migrant workers, and members of SC, ST, and OBC communities will ensure a spectacular victory for our candidate,” Patra says with conviction.Every evening, his rented base turns into a war room where he reviews field reports and coordinates with booth-level workers. Backed by a team of poll strategists, Patra shares detailed datasheets highlighting the development works of the Mohan Charan Majhi government over the past sixteen months — urging workers to take these success stories directly to the people.Like Patra, seven other ministers have been assigned by the BJP to oversee the seven mandals of Nuapada district, where the party faces a fierce triangular contest against the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress.As dusk settles over Parkod, the minister’s day ends much as it began — among farmers, strategists, and the quiet hum of a laptop in a rural home that now beats with the pulse of a political mission.
