Dhenkanal district has four Assembly constituencies, such as Kamakhyanagar, Parjang, Hindol(SC) and Dhenkanal.
The Kamakhyanagar Assembly constituency comprises Kamakhyanagar (NAC), Bhuban(NAC), Bhuban Block, part of Dhenkanal Block (Barada, Gengutia,Sankueli, Tarva, Chaulia, Garapari and Bansingh) and part of Kamakhyanagar Block (Badasuanlo,Jagannathpur, Bhairapur, Baruan-k, Baunsapal, Kanapura, Baisinga, Baligorad, Mahulpal, Kadua, Rainarasinghpur, Sogar, Budhibili, Bankul, Kotagara GPs).
The BJD won from the Kamakhyanagar seat repeatedly in 2000, 2004, 2009 and 2014 Assembly polls. While the sitting BJD MlA is a three-time winner from the Assembly seat, INC candidate late Kailash Mohapatra won from here in 1995. In 2014 assembly poll, BJD won with 43 per cent votes, leaving Congress with a wide margin of 32 per cent and BJP with 17 per cent votes. But INC brought the former-MlA’s son Bhabani Mohapatra to the poll arena in 2014 poll, with a hope of recouping. local MlA and Mines Minister Prafulla Malick has a good foothold in the rural areas.
Adjacent Parajang Assembly constituency consists of Parajang Block, Kankahada Block and part (Kusumjodi, Kantapal, Jumisinga, KantioKateni, Kantioputsahi GPs) of Kamakhyanagar Block. This was a new constituency created after 2004 constituency reorganization in 2008. Dr Nrusingha Sahu of BJD won from here in 2009 and 2014 Assembly elections. BJP’s Bibhuti Pradhan constantly challenged BJD in the last two Assembly polls, remaining in the second position with a just a 2 per cent margin. But, INC has been marginalized here. The votes of the INC have been grabbed by the BJD mostly since MlA Sahu won as a Congress MlA from here and also contested unsuccessfully as an Independent candidate. He was also in BJP for a time. So Sahu being the most experienced leader and having a base in all major parties here has votes from virtually all parties.
Dhenkanal Sadar Assembly constituency consists of Dhenakanal Municipality , Gondia Block and part of Dhenkanal Block (Baladiabandha, Baliamba, Beltikiri, Bhaliabolkateni, Bhapur, Chandrasekhar Prasad, Dhirapatna, Gobindpur, Kiamati,
Kakudibhag, Kankadapal, Madhusahupatna, Mangalpur, Manipur, Nadiali,Nagiapasi, Sankarur, Saptasajya, Talabarkote GPs). Dhenkanal Municipality is out of PRI polls. This is a problematic constituency for BJD. The 2000 Assembly poll was won by BJP, while 2004 was won by INC candidate Sudhir Samal who is the present district Congress president. The 2009 Assembly election was won by NCP’s Naveen Nanda, who later joined BJD. 2014 election was won by a new BJD candidate Saroj Samal, which left Naveen Nanda as dissident in the BJD. In 2014 election, BJP was in second position here with 37 per cent votes where BJD won just with 2 per cent more. BJP improved its tally from 28 per cent in 2009 to 37 per cent in 2014 with the same candidate, Krushna Patra. But INC went down from 30 per cent in 2009 to 17 per cent in 2014 due to in-party feuds.
Some Blocks are divided among two Assembly constituencies. When BJD wins Assembly seats in three contiguous constituencies, the voting environment goes in favor of BJD. During the 2012 PRI polls, there was full swing of votes in favour of BJD in the Blocks of the above three constituencies. All the three ZP zones of Kankadahad Block, three ZP Zones of Kamkhyanagar Block, four zones of Gondia Block, three zones of Dhenakanal Sadar Block and three zones of Bhuban Block went to BJD . Only in Parajang Block, the two ZP seats were shared between the BJP and BJD. Will the same trend repeat in the three constituencies in 2017 PRI pollIJ It could if Naveen Nanda doesn’t work to favour BJP in Dhenkanal, Parajang BJP co-opts some leaders of INC, INC improves in Kamakhyanagar constituency and KP Singh Deo-Sudhir Samal spat s resolved. BJP and BJD used certain leadership co-option strategy to win recently in Dhenkanal Municipality Chairman / Vice-chairman by-election.
Hindol Assembly constituency is bit different. It has Hindol and Odapada Blocks. It is not connected with other Blocks. Since 2000 Assembly poll, BJD has been occupying the seat. Even the seat was occupied after BJD replaced its 3- time MlA Anjali Behera in 2014 poll. While BJD bagged 49.9 per cent votes in 2014 Assembly poll, BJP bagged 20 per cent and INC bagged 18 per cent votes. BJP is not strong here in comparison to other two Assembly segments.
All the four ZP seats of Hindol Block was taken away by BJD in 2012 PRI polls while out of three ZP zones of Odapada Block, two were taken by BJD, leaving INC with one. Here, BJD will be in a favourable position, unless BJP uses leadership co-option strategy with former-BJD MlA Anjali Behera.