Deogarh district has one Assembly constituency. BJP’s Subash Panigarhi had won in 2000 Assembly poll. In 2004 election, Nitesh Gangadev won from INC ticket. But in 2009, BJD won the Assembly seat, defeating the INC candidate Ganadev. However, BJP gave ticket to Gangadev in 2014 Assembly polls and won the seat with a massive lead of 53 per cent votes.
The Assembly constituency consists of Deogarh Municipality, Barkote Block (three ZP zones), Reamal Block (two ZP Zones) and Tileibani Block (two ZP zones). Except Deogarh UlB, the others are going to 2017 PRI poll. In 2012 PRI poll, all the ZP zones had gone to BJD. After defection of Gangdev to BJP, the Congress has been decimated in the constituency. BJD has not been able to put up a strong fighter either.
Therefore, in all likelihood, BJP will form ZP district body here. Even if the BJD attempts to keep its last PRI steam, it is unlikely to win four seats to occupy the ZP body. If BJP wins from this constituency, the credit shall be given to the then State president who could introduce a successful leadership re-alignment in 2014 Assembly poll.
A similar situation arises in Nuapada district. Nuapada district has two Assembly constituencies. Nuapada constituency voters elected Basanta Panda in 2000. In 2004, they elected Rajendra Dholkia. In 2004 Assembly poll, BJD gave ticket to Independent MlA Dholkia and won the seat. But in 2014, Basanta Panda (BJP) won again from the constituency, defeating Dholkia of BJD by 6 per cent votes. The Congress is unstable here in selecting its Assembly candidate and that could be a reason, its followers shifted to BJP. The constituency has Khariar Road (Municipality), Komna Block and Nuapada Block. Both the Blocks shall go the PRI poll. In 2012 PRI polls, three ZP zones of Komna and three ZP zones of Nuapada Block had gone to BJD. This was because of the then BJD MlA. In 2017, a similar swing in favour of BJP MlA is expected, though BJD will throw a tough challenge. BJD might get maximum two seats out of six, if it works hard.
Khariar is another Assembly constituency of Nuapada district. BJP did another successful leadership re-engineering in 2014 Assembly poll here. It replaced the 2009 Assembly winner, Hitesh Bagarti by BJD’s Duryodhan Majhi. Majhi won the 2014 Assembly poll with 34 per cent votes, leaving behind INC with 30 per cent and BJD with 28 per cent votes. The constituency consists of Khariar( Municipality), Kharaiar Block( two ZP zones), Sinapali Block ( three ZP zones) and Boden Block( two ZP zones). In 2012, BJP took all the three seats of Sinapali Block and two seats of Khariar Block. BJD bagged the two seats of Boden Block. In spite of BJP MlA’s presence, BJD took three seats out of seven from the Assembly constituency.
With Majhi as MlA, BJP is going to sweep the constituency. BJD might get two seats. Thus in the Nuapada ZP which consists of 14 ZP zones, the BJP may comfortably get eight ZP seats to form the body. Presence of two MlAs of same party shall create an undercurrent in the district in favour of BJP.