Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in state and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are engaged in a tough fight to win prestigious Bhubaneswar Parliamentary constituency that would go to the polls April 23.
Though the BJD has been winning Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat since 1998, political observers feel that the regional party is facing a tough task to retain the segment in the 2019 elections.
The BJP has fielded former bureaucrat Aparajita Sarangi from the seat. Sarangi had served as the commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and principal secretary of state School and Mass Education department.
After her voluntary retirement from service, Sarangi had joined the BJP and started strengthening the saffron party base in all seven Assembly segments coming under Bhubaneswar Parliamentary seat.
“After quitting service, Sarangi had started meeting people from various sections in all seven Assembly seats coming under Bhubaneswar LS segment. She has managed to build a base for herself,” said a political observer.
The ruling BJD has denied ticket to sitting MP Prasanna Patsani from Bhubaneswar LS seat and nominated former Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik to fight the 2019 polls.
Patnaik was looking after the affairs of Biju Yuva Vahini in state after formally joining the BJD. Patnaik’s electoral success primarily depends upon the organisational strength and traditional vote bank of BJD, opined many political observers.
“Sarangi, as an IAS officer, had managed to create a special image for her. Despite his illustrious career in Mumbai police, Patnaik is yet to create an image for himself among the common people,” said a political observer.
It is said that Sarangi’s candidature has come as a boon for the BJP nominees of all seven Assembly segments coming under Bhubaneswar LS seat.
On the other hand, BJD nominees for these Assembly seats are trying hard to boost their own poll prospects. They are somehow reluctant to push for Patnaik’s case among the voters.
“We have seen Sarangi of freely mingling with common people. But, the situation is not same in Patnaik’s case,” said Rajni Paikray, a voter from Jatni.
This time, the Congress party has left Bhubaneswar seat for its alliance partner CPI (M). Veteran CPM leader Janardan Pati is trying his luck from the seat. The Congress party’s has virtually lost its previous organizational strength in Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Jatni and Begunia area, said a political observer. In last general election, the Congress nominee had managed to secure 1,45,783 votes. “This time, there may be a division in Congress votes and Sarangi may attract a sizable portion of the votes,” said a Congress leader on conditions of anonymity.
The Congress nominees for all Assembly segments coming under Bhubaneswar seat were not seen actively pressing for Pati during campaign.
Candidates of the Grand Old party were in third positions in all three Assembly seats of Bhubaneswar city in 2014 elections. This time, the nominations of Congress candidate for Jaydev Assembly segment have been cancelled during scrutiny. “People have no option to vote for Congress in Jaydev constituency. The BJP may do well in the seat,” said a source.
The BJD and BJP are in a direct fight for Bhubaneswar (Central) Assembly seat. The BJD has fielded former Bhubaneswar mayor Ananta Narayan Jena from the seat while the BJP has nominated Jagannath Pradhan to fight the polls. Though Jena has a little advantage over Pradhan, BJP MP candidate Sarangi is expected to do well in Bhubaneswar (Central) Assembly seat.
On the other hand, the BJP is facing some trouble in Bhubaneswar (Ekamra) and Bhubaneswar (North) Assembly segments over dispute in ticket distribution.
The Congress party and the BJD are fighting it out for Jatni Assembly seat while BJP nominee for Khurda Assembly seat, Kalu Khandayatray, is giving a tough fight to BJD nominee Jyotirindra Nath Mitra.
The recent murder of BJP leader Manguli Jena is likely to cause some problems to the BJD in Khurda.
“There is possibility of Aparajita Sarangi getting lead from Begunia, Khurda, Jatni and Jaydev Assembly seats. The voters of Bhubaneswar LS seat may break the tradition of voting for BJD and choose Sarangi in this poll,” said an observer.
