Sitting BJD MlA Maheswar Mohanty, who has been elected for the fourth consecutive term from Puri, is confident of repeating his success this time despite his ill health following gunshot injuries in an incident a few days before the poll process began.
He is depending on the videoconferencing with the electorate. He depends heavily upon his organsiational strength which during his long tenure he has developed through his personal contact.Mohanty’s traditional Congress rival Umaballav Rath, though very much in the race, is worried man as his associate in the Bhusampati Suraksha Parishad and former Puri Municipality Chairman Surendranath Dash has also jumped into the fray as Samatakranti candidate following denial of BJD ticket to him.
Though there is an anti-Maheswar undercurrent, over 35,000 slum votes are likely to help Mohanty sail through the tide.In the Satyabadi Assembly seat in Puri district, sitting Congress MlA Harichandan is facing a problem this time as Omprakash Mishra, a young candidate who was denied Congress ticket, is in the fray as an Independent.
Similarly, Umakant Samantray who at the last minute was refused the BJD ticket has been contesting the polls as an Independent, giving nightmares to the BJD nominee Ramaranjan Baliar Singh. In fact, in the last three election the BJD rebels had marred the party’s prospects in this constituency by cornering sizeable BJD votes thereby effectuating Congress candidate Harichandan’s victory. Samantaray, who has been expelled from the BJD, is likely to upset the BJD applecart.
Harichandan is banking upon his performances in the legislature by putting the ruling BJD in a tight spot many times and raising the problems of the constituency. Apart from his involvement in development works in the area, he has exerted pressure on the National Highway Authorities to construct a road under-bridge on the Puri-Bhubaneswar NH-203 which was a major demand of the residents of Satyabadi block.
The chief battle here is expected between Baliarsingh, Harichandan and BJD rebel Samantray. While Baliarsingh hopes to ride on the Naveen Patnaik wave, Samantaray is confident to win the election banking on his popularity.
In the neighbouring Assembly constituency of Pipili in the district, traditional arch rivals Yudhisthir Samantaray, popularly known as Kedar, of the Congress and incumbent MlA Pradip Maharathy of the BJD are once again pitted against each other.The presence of Congress rebel Arshit Patniak as an Independent candidate has made the going difficult for Kedar. Patnaik is the former chairperson and at present a member of the Zilla Parishad. He seems to have made Maharathy’s task easier.
In the other Assembly seat in the district, Nimapara, sitting BJD MlA Sameer Ranjan Dash appears comfortable with his Congress rival Delhi-based Biswamohan Mohanty is a debutant in politics. The denial of the Congress ticket to Satyabarat (Ramu) Patra has disturbed the organizational strength of the party.
This apart, the shifting of local Congress leader Rabindranath Sethy to the Kakatpur reserved Assembly seat has weakened Biswamohan’s chances as Sethy gets little time to him help out.Here, BJP nominee Pravati Parida is also a major contestant. Nimapara has the distinction of returning BJD candidates with highest victory margins, but this time the BJD may face a challenge from the BJP. Despite financial crunch, Pravati is hopeful give a formidable fight to incumbent MlA Dash.
In the district’s contiguous constituency Kakatpur, the denial of BJD ticket to sitting MlA Rabindra Kumar Mullick may prove costly for the ruling party.The BJD has fielded new face Surendra Sethy, who is being introduced and helped by by octogenarian BJD leader Surendra Nath Nayak and his son in the area. Veteran Congress leader Rabinbdra Kumar Sethy from Nimapara, who is the party candidate here this time seems to be gaining ground here. Besides, the disgruntled sitting BJD MlA may queer the pitch of the BJD.
This apart, the presence of IITian Tusharkanti Behera in the fray as the BJP candidate may cut into the BJD votes as a major section of the fishermen community of the area is likely support their highest qualified son.