Although the dates for the general elections are yet to be announced, the major political parties are busy finalising the tickets for both Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats in Sambalpur district.
Widespread speculations are on for a change of the Sambalpur MP following joining of former Works Secretary Nalinikanta Pradhan in the ruling BJD on Friday. Pradhan served in the district for quite some time as an engineer in various capacities. He had got an extension for one more year of his service after retirement. He used to visit different parts of the constituency in official capacity and reviewed the progress of various projects of his department. He became controversial when his photograph was printed in the party banner while the BJD was organizing workers conference at Rairakhol, a few months ago.
Sitting MP of Sambalpur Nagendra Pradhan, as per political calculation, may replace Tathagata Satpathy in Dhenkanal LS constituency, who has shown his unwillingness to contest elections. Speculations are also doing the rounds that Pradhan may also be provided ticket from Chendipada constituency in Angul district as he belongs to the area. BJP National Secretary Suresh Pujari who had unsuccessfully contested from Sambalpur LS seat last elections may be renominated this time, party sources said. Some of the party leaders have also been suggesting former Minister and senior leader Jayanarayan Mishra to contest from the seat. Among the probable candidates , names of BJP national spokesperson Dr Sambit Patra also figures in the list. Congress selection committee has forwarded the names of former MP Amar Pradhan and president Sambalpur District Congress Committee, Aswini Guru for Sambalpur LS seat to AICC president Rahul Gandhi forselection. Sambalpur LS seat comprises seven Assembly segments like Sambalpur,Rengali, Rairakhol, Kuchinda, Deogarh, Athmalik and Chendipada. Butthe irony of fate is that in most of the elections since 1951, leaders from out of Sambalpur district have been elected.
The oldest and prestigious constituency during the last 16 general elections elected the then Ganatantra Parishad candidate Natbar Pande in 1951, who was a native of Sundargarh district. Similarly in 1962 veteran socialistleader Kishan Patnaik of Kalahandi was elected from the constituency.
In 1977, socialist leader of Barpali Gananath Pradhan was elected while in 1980 Dr Krupasindhu Bhoi of Padampur was elected. Bhoi was elected four times from the constituency while Prasanna Acharya of Bargarh was elected three times in 1998, 1999 and 2004.Original residents of Sambalpur, Sradhakar Pupkar represented twice (1957 and1967), Banamali Baboo in 1971 and Bhawani Sankar Hota in 1989.
Several socio-cultural organisations and leading citizens of Sambalpur have urged the major parties to nominate their candidates from Sambalpur-based leaders as the place carries much importance and said to be the nerve centre of western Odisha. Prof Sankar Prasad Pati, president of the Odisha Sanskrutik Samaj, has written to the presidents of political parties to select native candidates this elections.