The BJP’s weighty plan to wrest the Kandhamal lok Sabha seat from the ruling BJD in the October 15 by-election has failed.
The mighty and crafty leaders, especially Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and chief of poll campaign Bijay Mohapatra had played a prominent role in the bypoll. The performance of the party has proved that the Modi charisma and, more importantly, the credibility of the State unit as well as its Union Ministers did not cast any spell on the voters of the tribal and Maoist-infested constituency.
Compared to the April General Elections, this time the BJP had many advantages to capitalise on such as its Government at the Centre and two Union Ministers, apart from several scams of the BJD Government, but at the end of the day all hullaballoo and attack on the BJD candidate on her citizenship did not work.
The BJD once again came triumphant with a landslide victory and far bigger vote margin. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who has of late been cornered over the issue of chit fund and land grab scams and internal feud in the party, had the last laugh.
He attributed the victory to his Government’s successful plans and policies for development of all sections of people.
Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh, widow of former MP Hemendra Chandra Singh, trounced her nearest rival Rudra Madhab Ray of the BJP by a whopping 2,98,868 votes.
Though for neither the BJP nor the BJD, the Kandhamal lS seat was necessary for survival yet the victory was an issue of the credibility each of them has on the voters. If it were a defeat for the BJD, it would give a message that the ruling party’s loss was due to its involvement in several scams and an anti-incumbency factor.
But the defeat of the BJP has made it clear that its State unit leaders are yet to grow up and have a stature to win the confidence of the people so as to be seen as an alternative of the longest-ruling BJD.
On the contrary, it has made the confusion clear that scams are not as important as the ability to deliver.
Surely the BJD, in spite of the ongoing CBI probe into the chit fund scam bringing to fore the involvement of its leaders and the ruling party’s patronage to the sham firms, has retained the faith of the people, partly because of its performance and partly because none of the opposition parties has yet been able to present it as its replacement.
The BJP and the Congress still are fighting to have all-acceptable chiefs of their State units. The Congress’ internal rivalry has been too long and clear. In the BJP, despite the State head representing a royal family, there are several other leaders who in terms of their communicative power, personality, experience and closeness with the party high command are nudging one another to attract a central focus. Every now and then, one or the other in the BJP seems to be enjoying a prime focus.
In this veiled turf war, the current chief of the State unit seems to be losing lustre. On the other hand, the BJD remains as secure as ever.
The party revolves around one and the only Naveen Patnaik while all leaders look to be completely devoted to him and showing their allegiance to him. Dissent or any attempt to surpass the chief by any leader is dealt with sternly.