Would the Congress be able to create history by winning the prestigious Kendrapada lok Sabha seat this timeIJ The party had won it over six decades back.
Congress leader Nityananda Kanungo had won the Parliamentary seat in 1952. Since then, the seat has turned into a citadel of the anti-Congress leaders. Several prominent Congress leaders like Basant Biswal, Bhagabat Mohanty, Surendra Mohanty, Batakrushna Nayak, Union Minister Srikant Jena and Archana Nayak had tried their luck for the prestigious seat but in vain. The anti-Congress leaders happened to steal the march all the time.
Anti-Congress leaders like Surendranath Dwibedy, Biju Patnaik, Rabi Ray and Pravat Samantaray, who had fielded their candidature against the Congress candidates, managed to win more than twice. Socialist leader Surendranath
Dwibedy had won at least four times by fielding his candidature from the Praja Socialist Party. Dwibedy won in second, third fourth and fifth Parliamentary elections. Former Chief Minister and Union Cabinet Minister Biju Patnaik had won thrice from Kendrapara in the sixth, seventh and eighth lok Sabha elections as a Janata Party candidate twice and Bharatiya lok Dal candidate once.
Similarly, Janata Dal leader Rabi Ray had been elected twice as MP in the ninth and tenth lok Sabha elections. Union Minister Srikanta Jena was also elected as the MP of Kendrapara in the 11th lok Sabha elections by fielding his candidature from the Janata Dal . Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Pravat Samanta Ray was Kendrapara MP during the 12th and 13th Parliamentary elections. Similarly, Archana Nayak, who fielded her candidature for the 14th lok Sabha elections in BJD ticket, had won. In the 15th lok Sabha elections, Baijyanta Panda became the MP after winning the seat in BJD ticket.
Notably, the anti –Congressism flow is deep-rooted in Kendrapara. It started with Praja Socialist Party’s Surendranath Dwibedy’s tenure as MP in the 60s. After Praja Socialist Party became weak, Janata Dal under the leadership of Biju Patnaik held sway. Still the love for Bijubabu is strong in Kendrapara.
Notably, in the seventh general elections in 1980, when the pro-Congress wave swept through the nation, the voters of Kendrapara cast votes in the favour of Biju Patnaik. Similarly when the sympathy wave for Rajiv Gandhi flew following the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during the eighth lok Sabha elections in 1984, Kendrapada still latched on to the Janata Dal and had elected Biju once again.
Now a number of candidates are vying for BJD ticket to contest the lok Sabha seat this time from Kendrapada which is going to polls on April 17. They include, sitting MP Baijayant Panda, Pramod Sahu, Sriram Dash and Sidharta Swarup etc. In Congress, the internal wrangle is still on. The party is projecting to field former Aul MlA Dolagobinda Nayak. Needless to say, the Congress has to be united and its leaders have to sink all differences to give a tough fight to the BJD in the coming elections.