With no clarity yet over a pre-poll BJD-BJP alliance, the plans of several leaders who were looking to switch sides before elections seem to have been foiled here.
Social activist- cum- senior BJP leader Baldev Prasad Bedbak is one such leader who is waiting for an announcement on the alliance. As Bedbak has a parallel organisation in the whole of Subarnapur district, he is in the ticket race for Sonepur Assembly constituency.
According to political observers, BJD is very strong in the two Assembly constituencies of Sonepur and Birmaharajpur. In case of a tie-up between the BJD and BJP, seat sharing would be a tough job as BJD wouldn’t like to let go of the two seats. Sonepur is the only unreserved Assembly constituency and logically, the seat may be retained by the BJD. Sonepur is presently represented by Health Minister Niranjan Pujari. Since the previous alliance broke in 2008 between the BJP and BJD, Pujari has been continuously winning from the seat. Similarly, sitting BJD MLA and former Minister Padmanav Behera has won four times from Birmaharajpur seat.