Bhubaneswar: As suspense continues to surround BJP-BJD alliance talks for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha, people in tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj Parliamentary constituency are keen to know who will be the main poll warriors this time.
No one seems to be certain as to which party will be able to bag the Lok Sabha seat if Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) finalise a deal for forging an electoral alliance in the state. BJP’s Bishweswar Tudu, who represents the constituency, happens to be Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti.
Amid the rapidly changing political scenario in the state ahead of the twin polls, both BJP and BJD appear to be keen to bag Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat. If the seat goes to the account of BJP, it is not quite clear as to whether the saffron party will re-nominate Tudu this time.
Being the home district of President Droupadi Murmu, Mayurbhanj will definitely be a matter of prestige for BJP and the saffron party will leave no stone unturned to retain the constituency.
Similarly, the ruling BJD also looks at election in Mayurbhanj as an acid test for the regional party. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s close confidant and Nabin Odisha Chairman V K Pandian was once the district collector of Mayurbhanj. BJD’s organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das happens to be the party’s observer for Mayurbhanj. The ruling BJD has made tremendous efforts to strengthen its base at the grassroots level in Mayurbhanj.
However, BJP has emerged as a formidable political force in tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj over the years. In 2019 elections, the saffron party had won five of the seven Assembly seats falling under Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha constituency, where over 59 per cent voters belong to tribal communities. As BJP polled more than 42 per cent of votes in 2019, party candidate Tudu was elected from the constituency securing over 4.83 lakh votes in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
After winning his maiden electoral battle, Tudu also became a Union Minister in the Narendra Modi government. Despite being linked to certain controversial issues, Tudu is considered a force to reckoned with in the region, primarily because of President Murmu factor. Despite its poor show in the last panchayat and urban local bodies’ polls, BJP is likely to make considerable electoral gains in Mayurbhanj, native place of the President. Political observers are of the belief that BJP may re-nominate Tudu in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
However, the ruling BJD has also set its eye on Mayurbhanj as the conch party had won the Parliamentary seat in 2009 and 2014 elections. In 2019, BJP nominee Tudu defeated BJD’s Debasish Marandi. Upbeat over its impressive show in last panchayat and municipal elections, BJD is keen to field its candidate in the constituency. Names of Sudam Marndi and former bureaucrat Raisen Murmu are among prospective BJD nominees for the seat where tribal votes will play a decisive role.
