Bhubaneswar: A day after BJD leader V K Pandian added more suspense to the possible alliance with BJP in Odisha, the regional party here on Wednesday continued its ongoing ticket selection exercise for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in the state.
Senior BJD leaders congregated at Naveen Niwas, the residence of party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, and discussed about the party’s preparations for the polls as well as the likely candidates for Koraput parliamentary constituency and the seven assembly segments constituting it.
According to party sources, apart from important BJD leaders from Koraput, including Minister Jagannath Saraka, senior leaders Rabi Nanda, N Bhaskar Rao, MLA Pritam Padhi and district observer Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak attended the meeting.
While the tribal-dominated Koraput Lok Sabha seat is being represented by Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka, BJD has MLAs in four of the seven Assembly seats – Gunupur (ST), Bissam Cuttack (ST), Lakshmipur (ST) and Koraput (SC) – under this Parliamentary constituency. Jeypore and Pottangi (ST) Vidhan Sabha seats is also with Congress and Rayagada (ST) with an independent.
The meeting of Koraput leaders will be followed by a similar exercise for leaders of Nabarangpur LS constituency, the sources added.
This comes two days after the BJD began the ticket selection exercise for the ensuing twin polls in Odisha with a meeting with leaders of Puri and Kendrapada Lok Sabha constituencies. Voting for the 147-member Odisha assembly will be held in four phases – May 13, May 20, May 25, June 1. Counting of votes will take place on June 4. The term of the current assembly elected in 2019 will expire on June 2, 2024.
KORAPUT LOK SABHA SEAT
A traditional Congress bastion for decades, Koraput remained a pocket borough of the grand old party from 1957 to 2009. However, the constituency slipped out of Congress hand in 2009 when BJD candidate Jayram Pangi won the seat. BJD retained the seat in 2014 with its candidate Jhina Hikaka tasting victory.
However, Congress wrested the Koraput Lok Sabha seat as its candidate Saptagiri defeated BJD nominee Kaushalya Hikaka while making his electoral debut in 2019 elections. Son of Congress leader late Ramachandra Ulaka, the sitting Koraput MP’s performance has also been quite impressive in the last five years.
Apart from raising issues relating to his constituency in Parliament, Saptagiri has maintained good rapport with top national and state party leaders. Koraput Lok Sabha constituency includes Gunupur, Rayagada & Bissam Cuttack of Rayagada district and Pottangi, Koraput, Lakshmipur and Jeypore in Koraput district. In 2019 elections, Saptagiri had polled maximum votes in Rayagada, Gunupur, Jeypore and Lakshmipur.
Congress heavyweight and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, who played a major role in bringing victory for Saptagiri, is likely to help him this time also despite talks about differences between them. Taking all aspects into consideration, Congress is expected to re-nominate Saptagiri this time.
However, the political equations have undergone considerable change since 2019 with influential tribal leader Pradeep Majhi quitting Congress and joining the ruling BJD. The constituency, which has over 52 per cent tribal voters, is likely to witness a keen contest in the Lok Sabha polls.
