Khurda: Distribution of tickets for Khurda Assembly constituency for the upcoming elections may be an arduous task for the three major political parties as intense lobbying has started within the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Political observers feel that some aspirants may fight the elections as independent nominees if they fail to emerge as party picks.
Former MLA Jyotirindra Nath Mitra, BJP leader Kalu Khandayatray and advocate Shakti Shankar Mishra are in the race for the saffron party’s ticket from the constituency.
“I have been working for the party for the past several years. I hope the BJP leadership would nominate me from Khurda seat. I would consult with our workers and take a decision on my future course of action if the party does not nominate me to contest the upcoming elections,” Khandayatray said.
Former MLA Jyotirindra Nath Mitra said he has well-wishers in all the three major political parties in state. “I had won the seat as a Congress candidate in 1995 and as an Independent nominee in 2000 Assembly elections. I was elected from the seat on a BJD ticket in 2004 polls. I had faced defeat as an Independent candidate in 2009 and again as a BJP nominee in 2014 elections. I hope that the BJP would re-nominate me,” Mitra said.
When contacted, advocate Shakti Shankar Mishra too expressed his willingness to fight the election as a BJP candidate from the segment.
Political grapevines have it that Mitra may switch his allegiance to BJD and fight the polls as a nominee of the regional party.
Sitting MLA Rajendra Kumar Sahoo (BJD), his wife Sanjukta Sahoo, Khurda zilla parishad (ZP) chairman Prafulla Dalei and former ZP chairperson Basanti Mahapatra are in the race for a BJD ticket. It is learnt that MLA Sahoo is lobbying hard to ensure either a ticket for him or for his wife.
Former Khurda town BJD president Jitendra Pradhan has recently announced that he would join the fray as an Independent candidate.
“BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would take a call on the candidature issue,” said Sahoo.
BJD leader and former ZP chairperson Basanti Mahapatra, however, said she may contest the polls as an Independent nominee if the party leadership denies her a ticket. “I was the frontrunner for BJD ticket in 2009 polls, but was denied the ticket at the last moment. This time, I am quite hopeful that the party would consider my candidature,” Mahapatra said.
It is worth mentioning here that the BJD had left Khurda Assembly seat for CPI (M) in the 2009 polls. Both Sahoo and Mitra had contested the polls as Independent nominees. Sahoo had won the seat and owed his allegiance to BJD and its leader Naveen Patnaik.
The regional party had chosen Sahoo as its candidate from the seat in the 2014 elections.
On the other hand, the Congress party has been reeling under severe factions within the party in its Khurda unit for the last several years. Former MLA Dillip Srichandan had left Congress and fought the 2009 elections as a BJP candidate after the Grand Old party denied him a ticket.
Srichandan had rejoined Congress and fought the 2014 elections on a party ticket. However, he was able to secure the third position.
This time also, the names of Srichandan, Swagatika Patnaik, Ramchandra Mahapatra and Joginath Bahubalendra are doing the rounds as Congress nominees.
Srichandan, Mahapatra and Bahubalendra have expressed their readiness to work for Congress even if they fail to get party ticket for the coming elections.
Congress leader Swagatika Patnaik, however, exuded confidence that she would get the party ticket for Khurda seat. “I am sure that party leadership would choose me to fight the polls. I do not have any negative thought on the issue,” she said.
