Saraskana: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is rapidly losing ground in Saranskana constituency of Mayurbhanj district. This new development has left the saffron party leaders of the district a worried lot ahead of the panchayat polls.
According to reports, the Saraskana Assembly constituency used to be stronghold of Biju Janata Dal (BJD). But it had lost its base in the region in the 2017 Zilla Parishad elections and in the 2019 general elections.
In 2019, BJP won six MLA seats, while the Maryubhanj parliamentary seat also went to its kitty. The BJP had also formed Zilla Parishad in the district.
However, things have started turning around in favour of the BJD once again. Three days ago, about 15 Zilla Parishad members (all backed by BJP) resigned en masse from the primary membership of the party.
The latest development has caused flutters among the state leadership of the BJP. The saffron party, which was making substantial inroads in Odisha politics, received a big jolt due to the recent developments. The en masse desertion occurred despite Mayurbhanj MP Bishweswar Tudu being made a minister in the Modi Cabinet.
It may be noted here that Rabi Nayak, who was backed by the BJP, had won ZP zone -55 and Independent candidate Bhubaneswar Mohant had won ZP zone -56 in the Sarasakana block.
Last year, Mohant passed away, necessitating a by-poll to the ZP seat. Later, BJD-backed Tusarendu Sekhar Mohant won the ZP zone-55.
Meanwhile, Nayak has also resigned from the ZP post Sunday night. Following his resignation, frontline BJP legislators like Saraskana MLA Budan Murmu, Badasahi MLA Sanatan Bijuli, Baripada MLA Prakash Soren, Udla MLA Praksh Madhei, BJP district unit president Kandra Soren and others rushed to the residence of Nayak to know the reason for his resignation. But he was not available.
However, BJP leaders alleged that the resignation of the party leaders from the Zilla Parishad was part of a conspiracy by the BJD.
BJP district unit president Kandra Soren said that in the long run the BJD would not gain anything by trying to break the BJP in the district. He further alleged that Rabi Nayak was lured and coerced to resign.
It is said that BJD organisational secretary is now directly looking after his party’s organisation base in Mayurbhanj district.
