Cuttack : The Choudwar-Cuttack Assembly segment has witnessed a surge in political activities recently. Aspirants of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have intensified their lobbying for party tickets to contest the 2019 Assembly elections.
Political observers feel that the three major political parties in Odisha may field new faces from this segment in the coming polls.
BJD nominee Pravat Ranjan Biswal had won the seat twice consecutively. Biswal had defeated his Congress rival Suresh Mahapatra convincingly in the 2014 Assembly polls. Nayan Kishore Mohanty of BJP had secured the third position.
In the 2009 election, Biswal’s closest rival was independent nominee Dipak Kumar Barik, while BJP candidate Nayan Kishore Mohanty and Congress candidate Savitri Choudhury secured the third and fourth places respectively.
Biswal is quite hopeful of getting BJD ticket this time to contest polls from the Choudwar-Cuttack segment. However, political observers opine that Biswal’s alleged links with tainted chit fund company Seashore Group may harm his prospect of getting the BJD ticket. Notably, the CBI had arrested Biswal in connection with the multi-crore ponzi scam in state.
Apart from Biswal, former Cuttack deputy mayor Ajay Barik and former corporator Sriram Pandey have shown their interest to contest the elections as BJD candidate. Moreover, the names of Health Minister Pratap Jena and former Cuttack Zilla Parishad chairman Prashant Behera are doing rounds.
Grapevine has it that the BJD leadership may shift Jena from his present Assembly segment, Mahanga, to Choudwar-Cuttack in the coming polls. However, Jena himself has rejected the speculations. “There is no chance of me contesting the election from Choudwar-Cuttack seat,” he said.
Prashant who had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 polls as a BJD candidate from Salipur constituency too rejected the speculations.
Biswal, however, said that he has full trust on the people of Choudwar-Cuttack. “The BJD president has the authority to take a call on who would contest polls from Choudwar-Cuttack seat,” he said.
The BJD MLA claimed that the state government has implemented several developmental projects in the constituency in the last 10 years. “We have improved drinking water supply system in the constituency. Several development projects have been launched at the Ravenshaw University and other primary and secondary schools. The construction work of an over-bridge has been completed. We are trying to revive the Odisha Textile Mill (OTM) at Choudwar,” said the BJD legislator.
BJD ticket aspirant Ajay Barik, meanwhile, said that he wants to contest polls. “I am a follower of legendary leader Biju Babu,” he added.
On the other hand, BJP leader Nayan Kishore Mohanty, who had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls twice from the Choudwar-Cuttack seat, is in race for the saffron party ticket. Apart from Nayan Kishore, BJP state youth wing vice-president Sikander Ali and party leader Mrunaya Mohanty have also shown their interest to fight polls from here.
“If the party keeps faith on me for the upcoming polls, we would win the seat,” said Nayan Kishore. However, Sikander Ali and Mrunaya said that they will obey party decision on the issue of candidature.
According to sources, Suresh Mahapatra, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 elections from the segment, has shown his interest to fight the upcoming polls from here. The name of Congress leader Manas Choudhury has also been recommended to the party’s screening committee.
“Congress would win the seat if the high command fields me in the upcoming polls,” Manas said. Suresh Mahapatra also exuded confidence that the Congress party would give him ticket. “I have been with the party for last many years,” he said.
