**Bhubaneswar: ** Even as the mercury levels are soaring, political contenders are least deterred to campaign. Their energy levels are on an all time high, as the election dates approach closer. Talking about the vigour and zeal, the theory is all together different when the candidate has served more than 35 years as an IPS officer.
The candidate in question is Arup Patnaik who is contesting from Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat. During service and after retiring, Patnaik is associated with a number of philanthropic and non-profit organisations.
He is one among the trustees of Mumbai-based Konark Cancer Foundation that helps distressed patients.
“I am a man from the Department, summer is no woe for me,” he said in an one-on-one interview to OMMCOM NEWS on Monday. “We are wholly into public service. There is no question no getting worn out under the heat,” he added.
For this former Maharastra-cadre top cop, reaching out to people and covering all elements of the constituency in a short time is a challenge. “We are doing our best. Interacting with maximum number of constituents, discussing their problems and planning out ways to solve those,” said Patnaik.
Asked about the IAS-IPS (Aparajita-Arup) contest in Bhubaneswar, the former IPS officer said, “It is all a media creation. We both have retired from All India Services. We are as much members of the public as other are,” he concludes.
Needless to mention, the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat is all set to witness healthy competition which will be one of the keenly watched contests in Odisha.
