National

Western Odisha's Bargarh Heads To Polls As Temperatures Soar

The Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha is set to vote on May 20 as both real and political temperature in the state has soared after Prime Minister Narendra Modi intensified attacks against the BJD on the Odiya identity issue. The region is a BJP stronghold and has traditionally been known as the state's prime agricultural belt and home to highly-skilled weavers and artisans.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Sarkanda village of Bargarh
Leaf disposable plates | Photo: Sandipan Chatterjee/Outlook

A family makes traditional disposable plates out of leaves in Sarkanda village of the Bargarh constituency

1/7
Congress LS campaign in Bargarh
Congress campaign vehicle in Bargarh | Photo: Sandipan Chatterjee/Outlook
  • Facebook Social
  • Twitter Social
  • Google Plus Social
  • WhatsApp Social

A Congress flag flutters on a campaign vehicle in Bargarh city as a religious flag and a BJD banner can be seen in the background

2/7
cane-goods seller
Cane-goods | Photo: Sandipan Chatterjee/Outlook
  • Facebook Social
  • Twitter Social
  • Google Plus Social
  • WhatsApp Social

A man carries baskets and other cane-goods on his motorbike on a highway near Bargarh

3/7
Hoardings of Political parties in Bargarh
LS Election campaign hoardings in Bargarh | Photo: Sandipan Chatterjee/Outlook
  • Facebook Social
  • Twitter Social
  • Google Plus Social
  • WhatsApp Social

A family of travellers pass a roadside shrine in Bargarh with campaign hoardings in the background

4/7
Nrusinghanath temple in Paikamal
Hanuman statue outside the Nrusinghanath temple | Photo: Sandipan Chatterjee/Outlook
  • Facebook Social
  • Twitter Social
  • Google Plus Social
  • WhatsApp Social

A massive Hanuman statue outside the Nrusinghanath temple near Paikamal, situated at the bottom of a hill believed to be the Gandhamardan Hill mentioned in the Ramayana

5/7
Hanuman flag near a temple in Sarkanda
An angry Hanuman flag | Photo: Sandipan Chatterjee/Outlook
  • Facebook Social
  • Twitter Social
  • Google Plus Social
  • WhatsApp Social

An angry Hanuman flag flutters at a motorcycle parked outside a temple in Sarkanda

6/7
A temple at Sarkanda
| Photo: Sandipan Chatterjee/Outlook
  • Facebook Social
  • Twitter Social
  • Google Plus Social
  • WhatsApp Social

A mud-hut painted with congratulatory messages for a wedding with a temple in the backdrop, in Sarkanda

7/7
Election hoardings at Bargarh
Political hoardings | Photo: Sandipan Chatterjee/Outlook
  • Facebook Social
  • Twitter Social
  • Google Plus Social
  • WhatsApp Social

Hoardings of various political parties, such as the BJD, Congress, BJP and BSP dot the landscape of Bargarh during a hot afternoon, with sparse traffic on the road