Jajpur: The political equations in the Bari Assembly segment of Jajpur Lok Sabha seat is changing as the BJD camp got a leg-up after the visit of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to the constituency Monday.
The three main parties – BJD, BJP and Congress – have intensified their campaigns in Bari with just a few days left for polling in the fourth phase, April 29.
There are 2,10,367 voters and 19,200 of them are voting for the first time. The constituency formed in 2004 comprises 29 panchayats of Bari block, 10 of Rasulpur block and eight of Jajpur block. Earlier, 18 panchayats of Derabish block in Kendrapara district were part of this Assembly seat.
The BJD has fielded Sunanda Das who quit BJP and had become the chairperson of Bari Panchayat Samiti. She is hopeful of winning as she is in a comfortable position having an edge over others.
Her confidence stems from the support of two BJD heavyweights – Pranab Prakash Das of Jajpur and Pranab Balwantray of Dharmasala.
The Chief Minister’s visit to Bari has emboldened her position by galvanizing the BJD camp which has pulled out all stops to win. Many fringe outfits are also backing Sunanda.
The BJP has fielded Biswaranjan Mallick who was its candidate in 2014 too. Biswaranjan is trying to bank upon his past work for the constituency. But the party’s senior leaders seem to be keeping off the campaign. Sunanda’s decision to desert BJD has become a serious roadblock on his way.
Observers think that BJP votes might get divided as the Hindustan Niramal Dal nominee has been challenging Biswaranjan and the BJP.
The mass support of the BJP during panchayat elections seems to be going to help the BJD. But this has failed to disappoint Biswarnajan, and he is going door-to-door to woo voters.
Congress candidate Umesh Chandra Jena and his supporters are organising bike rallies and street campaigns to win voters.
The BJP witnessed a jump in its vote share during the last panchayat elections. The BJD bagged 40,331 votes while the BJP received 43,828 votes in Bari block. Similarly, the BJD received 47,632 votes and the BJP 45,524 votes in Rasulpur block. Observers said this happened due to the organisational abilities of Sunanda’s husband Debendra Das.
However, with Sunanda deserting the BJP and joining the BJD the organisation which was with her has also switched support to the BJD. This is the reason which has given her an edge over other candidates.
She enjoys the support of the BJD and the backing of trade unions, farmers, construction workers’ outfits, religious groups and women self-help groups. Hundreds of Congress and BJP workers have joined the BJD after the party nominated Sunanda.
BJP nominee Biswaranjan who contested as an independent against incumbent Debashis Nayak was defeated by 7,173 votes. Biswaranjan hopes this time his vote share will go up.
However, things are not as rosy for him as the political scene has changed in the last five years. Biswaranjan might have been in a comfortable position had the BJD fielded Debashis. The BJD leadership sensed the tide, acted prudently and fielded Sunanda instead of Debashis, say political analysts.
Congress candidate Umesh Jena depends on the traditional vote banks of his party. But it is difficult to predict who will win ultimately.
