Baripada: The Morada Assembly constituency in Mayurbhanj district is the only unreserved seat among nine Assembly seats. Elections will be held here during the fourth phase April 29.
There are 13 candidates in the fray. With the campaign peaking up, the candidates and their supporters are feverishly canvassing for votes.
The BJP has fielded Krushna Chandra Mohapatra as its candidate while the BJD has fielded Rajkishore Das, who has left the BJP and joined the BJD. The Congress has fielded Prabhakar Mohapatra.
The others in the fray are Kalinga Keshari Jena of the JMM, Girendra Kumar Goswami of the CPI, Narendra Pradhan of the BSP, Radhakrushna Mohant of Jharkhand People’s Party and Santosh Kumar Singh of Akhila Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha.
Five others too have thrown their hats into the ring as Independents. They are Tarun Kumar Muduli, Biswamabar Das, Srinath Mohant, Sasmita Dhal and Hemasmita Nayak.
The contestants have started door-to-door campaigns. Given the political atmosphere and organizational strength of the parties, the seat is expected to see a four-cornered contest among the BJD, the BJP, the Congress and the JMM.
Rajkishore Das had contested the 2014 election on a BJP ticket. He was regarded as a BJP stalwart. But he left the BJP and joined the BJD a few weeks ago. How the BJD workers are going to accept his leadership remains to be seen.
The BJP has intensified its campaign by roping in its national leaders and star campaigners to moblise voters for Krushna Chandra Mohapatra.
Although the JMM and the Congress have an understanding in Mayurbhanj, both have fielded candidates here.
Congress candidate Prabhakar is trying to woo voters through various promises. In his affidavit, he has stressed 19 local issues, which he has promised to solve if elected.
Prabhakar had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 election on a Congress ticket. He told the media that people could go to court against him if he fails to live up to his promises.
BJD nominee Rajkishore Das has dubbed this as a mere gimmick.
BJP nominee Krushna Chandra sounded confident and said that it is only the people of his constituency who can decide what he has done for them.
Some opposition candidates are highlighting local issues which have not been resolved by the BJD, while the BJD is countering them with the image of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his development agenda.
The BJP is banking on the Modi wave and his achievements while the JMM is focusing on its tribal vote bank.
But a voter of this constituency said that people will vote this time only for a candidate who sounds credible.
PNN
