Sambalpur: Gaisilet block is seen as the decisive battle ground in the coming Bijepur by-poll. It is considered the most important one among the three blocks in Bijepur Assembly constituency. It used to be a Congress bastion. Now, the BJD and the BJP want to score big here.
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has already launched the election campaign for his party candidate Ashok Panigrahi at Guderpali village in Gaisilet block.
Spitting venom on the state ruling party, he said Sunday that how could BJD boast of undertaking any development in Bijepur constituency when it has failed to deliver anything in the last 18 years in power? Basic amenities like drinking water and irrigation facility are yet to be addressed here, he alleged.
On the other hand, BJD has kept the block in its priority list as the by-poll is seen as a prestige issue for the party. Its importance can be gauged from the fact that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to visit Gaisilet February 19 and Industry Minister Niranjan Pujary is in charge of the poll campaign in the block.
Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya is the overall campaign in-charge of Bijepur, Barpali and Gaisilet blocks that make up the Bijepur Assembly constituency.
Orissa Mines and Steel Minister Prafulla Malik, party spokesperson Prashant Nanda, former minister Debi Prasad Mishra and Sharada Nayak have already pitched their camp at Gaisilet to ensure the success of CM Patnaik’s poll campaign there.
Gaisilet block has played a pivotal role for Congress during its monopoly on the Bijepur seat for three consecutive terms, about one and a half of decades. Moreover, it is the home block of present Congress candidate Pranoy Sahu. He used to play a major role in garnering vote for his party even during the term of late MLA Subol Sahu. Caste factor does play a role in candidate’s selection there.
It’s a matter of concern for Congress now that it had to face serious setbacks in Gaisilet during the recent panchayat poll despite the fact that the block used to be known as its fort. Congress could get just 9,151 votes out of a total of about 55,000 in 102 villages under 19 gram panchayats. BJD secured about 11,000 votes, whereas BJP had 35,000 in its kitty.
BJP is trying its best to retain its vote share it gained there in the last panchayat poll. But, there is a lot of change in the scenario as the popularity graph of the saffron party has dwindled substantially since then.
The major problem with the saffron party is that its state leaders are unable to connect with local leaders who have no say in poll affairs this time. Besides, some top party leaders from the other region have taken up the reins of the poll campaign expecting to get the credit for party victory in the by-poll. However, local party rebels may puncture their hopes. PNN
