As the general and Assembly polls are drawing close, the selection of candidates for ticket distribution stands an important issue for all parties.
In Athgarh, BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain seems to be a worried lot as whether he would get a BJD ticket in 2019 or not is not clear.
Since getting a green signal from the Third Floor, one Abhaya Barik continues organising the BJD in the Athagarh Assembly constituency.
Rout has been active in the BJD for at least a couple of years with a good response.
On the contrary, Swain is in a fix over his ticket prospect. His suspicion for the same also arises for the creation of the Legislative Council in the State where he could be adjusted by the party, opine political observers here.
Some also say that since Swain is not in the good book of the coterie advising the BJD boss, he may be denied a nomination this time. Meanwhile, the grapevine also has it that in the event Swain is not given a ticket from the BJD, he may join the BJP with his band of supporters.
However, leaders are also vying for a ticket from the BJP as its position is good in Athgarh. Former nominees of the party from here like Ramnarayan Mohanty, Bikram Dash are in the lobby. Others like singer Manmath Mishra, newly inducted former Congress leader Bibhuti Bhusan Mishra are also trying hard to get the party ticket. Mostly singer Mishra is seen getting good support from the people. Party observer Kamal Giri has been appointed here to judge the popularity of the candidates.
Similarly, the competition in the Congress for ticket is no less fierce. As Athagarh was a citadel of Congress during the Chief Ministership of JB Pattnaik in 1980s, it has its pocket votes.
The Congress lost the confidence of the people here when it did not choose the right candidate in 1990 election. Ever since, Athagarh has remained a Congress-free constituency. Nevertheless, Congress has at least 30 per cent pocket votes here. Everything depends on selection of a right candidate this time.
During 2012 by-election, when Suresh Mohapatra was the Congress nominee from Athgarh, he had got over 40,000 votes.