Cuttack: The Cuttack Lok Sabha (LS) constituency is heading towards a triangular fight even as campaigning for the segment came to an end Sunday.
Nominees of Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Congress party and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) exuded confidence of wining the seat in 2019 elections. However, political observers opined that there was no obvious favourite for the seat that would go to polls April 23.
The ruling BJD in state has re-nominated five-time MP Bhartruhari Mahtab to contest the polls from the crucial LS seat while the Congress party has fielded former minister Panchanan Kanungo, who has recently joined the party, to take on the regional party. The BJP has picked retired IPS officer Prakash Mishra to win the BJD bastion.
In 2014 elections, BJD candidates had won all the seven Assembly segments coming under the Cuttack LS segment. This time, the regional party is facing a tough fight from BJP and Congress in most of these Assembly seats, said some political observers.
According to sources, the Barabati-Cuttack Assembly seat is witnessing a triangular contest among the nominees of BJD, Congress and BJP. However, there is an Independent candidate who can give a tough fight to the BJP and BJD in the Assembly seat.
The Congress party and the BJD are engaged in a direct fight to win Athagarh Assembly seat while the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to wrest the Cuttack Sadar Assembly seat from the BJD.
The nominees of BJD and Congress are trying hard to win Banki Assembly seat while Baramba segment is witnessing a three-cornered contest among the candidates of BJD, Congress and BJP. The BJP and an Independent candidate are posing a challenge to BJD nominee in Khandapada seat, sources said.
“It may not be possible for the ruling BJD to retain all the seven Assembly seats this time. Polling in the Assembly segments may significantly affect the poll prospects of candidates fighting for Cuttack Parliamentary seat. The BJD is facing tough task to retain the seat for the sixth time in a row,” said a political observer.
It is learnt that some voters in the Cuttack LS seat may cast their votes in favour of BJD in Assembly elections but they may prefer to vote for BJP for the Parliamentary seat. “In some areas we have noticed a trend—one vote on conch (poll symbol of BJD) and another vote on lotus (poll symbol of BJP). If at least 10 per cent of the voters cast their votes as per this trend then the results for Cuttack LS seat would surprise many,” said Pradip Sahu, a political observer.
Meanwhile, some voters have made it clear that they would consider various local and national issues while casting their valuable votes April 23. “Unemployment is a major issue in Odisha and India. The state government has launched several schemes for various sections of people but it has turned a blind eye to the problems of educated youths,” said Rabinarayan Das of Raghunathpur under Cuttack Sadar Assembly seat.
Some voters of Banki Assembly seat including Pradeep Sahoo, Ramesh Bhanja and Sanjeev Parida raised the issues of tackling floods and provision of irrigation facilities to express their anguish over the state government.
“We are residing in Cuttack city but the authorities concerned have failed to ensure basic civic amenities for us. The Silver City has been facing waterlogging during rains. Residents of many localities are struggling to get safe drinking water. No political party has any vision or policy to address the unemployment issue,” said Lalit Ray, a voter from Choudwar-Cuttack constituency.
Some voters said they would cast their votes by assessing the capabilities of candidates. “Narendra Modi had promised many things in 2014 elections, but delivered a little. The saffron party is seeking votes by making some new promises again. The BJD has done precious little to address the unemployment issue in its 19 years of rule. We go by the capabilities of candidates not the party affiliations,” said Shubhendu Swain, a voter from Barabati-Cuttack segment.
BJD nominee Mahtab said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s popularity and the developmental works of the state government would help him win the polls. “I have been fighting for the people of Cuttack and Odisha in Parliament. My priority is to safeguard the interests and self-esteem of Odisha in Parliament,” he added.
Congress candidate Kanungo said the country has witnessed instability in financial, social and cultural sectors in last five years. “India is not in safe hands now. The BJD government in state was involved in at least 19 mega scams in its 19 years of rule in state. The regional party has been cheating people,” he alleged.
BJP nominee Prakash Mishra maintained mum on his agenda though he was approached several times by our correspondent.