Baripada: Although Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has taken charge for a fifth term in Odisha, the victory of the BJP in Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha constituency has deepened fissures among BJD leaders and workers.
Sources said the BJD had won nine Assembly Seats and one Lok Sabha seat in 2014 in the district. However, the enthusiasm shown by voters for the party in 2014 was not seen in 2019 as the party could win only three Assembly seats.
While the BJP had no base in the Lok Sabha constituency in 2014, its victory in the six Assembly segments of the LS seat has forced BJD workers to assess reasons for the defeat.
Party supremo Naveen has instructed the defeated candidates to submit a show cause report.
The BJD’s MLA candidate in Baripada Assembly Constituency, Sarojini Hembram, had called a meeting of party workers. She presented a list of party dissidents to the district observer.
However, BJD workers said that it was the result of the party’s wrong decision as the party had launched a new face in 2019 instead of experienced leaders in the eight Assembly constituencies of the LS seat.
The party’s senior observer said the leadership will take strong action against workers who supported the rival candidate, and tried to defeat the incumbent BJD MLA.
BJD’s district unit secretary Debashis Mohanty said a sudden rise in the BJP’s vote share in the civic body area has stunned their leaders.
The BJD had secured 1,133 postal votes while the BJP got 3,077 of the 5,100 postal votes in the nine Assembly constituencies.
Sources said that in the Baripada Assembly constituency, the BJP got 529 of 777 postal votes while the BJD received only 178.
In Udala Assembly constituency, the BJP won 529 of the 708 postal votes, while the BJD received 166. In Morada Assembly constituency, the BJP bagged 428 postal votes while the BJD got 186. In Jashipur Assembly constituency, the BJP got 375 of the 670 postal votes, while the BJD received 122. In Rairangpur Assembly constituency, the BJP won 380 of the 584 postal votes, while the BJD secured 114. In Badasahi Assembly constituency, the BJP got 424 of the 571 postal votes, while the BJD bagged 108. In Bangiriposi Assembly constituency, the BJP got 272 of the 482 postal votes, while the BJD secured 154. In Saraskana Assembly constituency, the BJP bagged 316 of the 472 postal votes, while the BJD got 71. In Karanjia Assembly constituency, the BJP got 124 of the 168 postal votes, while the BJD got 34.
BJD district President Debashsis Mohanty said the party had been investigating the reason for the defeat in Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha constituency.
“We are trying to improve the party’s performance in the upcoming civic body elections. After the civic body polls we will call all party workers, and we will try to coordinate them into a strong organisation,” he added.
