Naveen Patnaik Files Nomination for Hinjili Assembly Seat in Odisha

Hinjili, Odisha: On Tuesday, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, filed his nomination papers for the Odisha Assembly election from his home turf, the Hinjili Assembly constituency in Ganjam district. This marks the sixth consecutive time that Naveen has sought re-election from this stronghold.

Hinjili, nestled under the Aska Lok Sabha constituency, is set to go to polls on May 20. The atmosphere at the Chhatrapur sub-collector office was charged as people from all walks of life gathered to support Naveen’s candidature.

Naveen Patnaik’s political journey in Hinjili began in 2000, when he secured victory by a margin of 29,826 votes. His standing in the constituency has consistently increased since then. His margin of victory in the next elections rose sharply:

2004: 42,642 vote margin
2009: 61,773-vote margin
2014: 76,586 vote margin
2019: A 60,160 vote margin
Hinjili voters value Naveen's steadfast attention to progress.
Despite the collapse of the BJD-BJP coalition before the 2009 election, Naveen’s vote percentage has consistently risen, earning him the pride of being a voter in the chief minister’s constituency.

Before submitting his nomination papers, Naveen paid homage to the Maa Tara Tarini Pitha, the presiding deity of Ganjam, at the hilltop temple. Refurbished recently, the temple now reflects the region's spiritual and cultural significance.

With his reliable assistant, V.K. Pandian, by his side, Naveen reaffirmed his dedication to the Hinjili people. The constituency is a centre for vegetable farming in Ganjam because of its easy access to irrigation. Nevertheless, a large number of Hinjili youngsters have moved to Mumbai and Surat due to a lack of good job possibilities.