BJP getting stronger with Modi wave
The whirlwind public meetings of BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has swelled the BJP vote bank in several parts of the State, including the Parjang Assembly seat. As a result, four-time MlA and Dhenkanal district BJD president Nrusingha Sahu, contesting elections this time, does not seem to be having a cakewalk.
Notwithstanding the fact that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held a series of meeting in Dhenkanal, Pallahara, Talcher and Parjang soon after Modi’s rallies, two days back, it has hardly helped Sahu’s position get stronger. By contrast, BJP nominee Bibhuti Pradhan is set to seize the opportunity and convert the popularity of Modi into votes in his favour.
Sources said during the 2009 elections, the BJP could not perform well in the State, as its political alliance with the ruling BJD had broken unexpectedly. The saffron party had to go solo and had very little time to organise its base. Still the BJP had given a tough challenge to the BJD then and Sahu had won the newly constituted Parjang Assembly constituency by a thin margin. He had secured 48,131 votes in all, while BJP’s Pradhan had secured 42,993 votes. Congress nominee laxmidhar Sahu had secured 21,048 votes and got the third slot.
Though, compared to last time, the number of contestants this time is more, yet the political situation in Parjang appears to be changing in favour of the BJP. Congress nominee Santosh Kumar Rout too is expected secure a sizeable chunk of votes.
Sahu is no doubt the most experienced leader of the locality. But over the last few years, he seems to have lost his dynamism and strength what he used to show as a young MlA in Biju Patnaik’s Janta Dal Government. Originally a JD leader, Sahu had a very unstable political course. He had crossed over to various political parties.
Between 2005 and 2009, Sahu was a Congress MlA. All the same, Sahu is known for his gentleness and clean personality. Though the main contest in Parjang will be among the BJD, Congress and BJP nominees, the fringe parties too are going to get some votes. The other nominees trying their luck here are Biswotosh Sahoo ( Independent), Susant Kumar Pani (AAP), Bijaya Kumar Pratap Deo (Samanta Kranti Dal), Susant Kumar Sahoo (Odisha Jana Morcha), Dambaru Dehury, (All India Trinamula Congress) and Ranjit Kumar Sahu (Ama Odisha Party).
Besides, in Kamakhyanagar Assembly seat, the main political fight is expected to be held among BJD nominee Prafulla Kumar Mallik, Congress nominee Bhabani Shankar Mohapatra and BJP nominee and former MlA Prasana Kumar Patnaik. The other contestants are Sibaram Sahoo from CPI. Akrura Behera from Samata Kranti Dal, Biprabar Sahoo from Ama Odisha Party, Mayadhar Nayak from AAP and Debasish Hota, Independent.