Odisha Elections 2024: Can Independents Prove To Be Gamechangers?

Bhubaneswar: With just over a week to go for polling, the BJD and the BJP in Odisha are facing the challenge of rebels in their own camps. The disgruntled leaders, who have taken the plunge or contemplating to enter the poll fray as independent after being denied ticket, can mar the calculations of both the parties affecting the prospects of the official candidates.

Kharabela Thorn On Pratap’s Second Victory Path

The BJP declared Santosh Khatua as its candidate from Nilagiri, quashing former MP Kharabela Swain’s hopes to get a MP ticket from Balasore. He had proposed the central leadership to shift its Balasore MP candidate Pratap Sarangi to Nilagiri and field him from the LS seat instead.

“I am the real BJP, hence people will vote for him,” asserted the three-time MP from Balasore.

When asked about likely action against him if he contests as an independent, he added that he will join the BJP again after winning the polls.

Kalu Khandayatray Can Spoil BJP’s Maths In Khurda

After being denied BJP ticket for Khurda Assembly seat, Kalu Khandayatray announced that he would file his nomination papers from the seat as an independent on May 3.

The open revolt by Khandayatray, former BJP candidate from Khurda Assembly seat, came after the party fielded Chilika MLA and former BJD leader Prashant Jagdev from the constituency. He quit the party with hundreds of supporters, alleging that Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita had sold the Khurda ticket for Rs 2 crore. Khandayatray further added that he would avenge the injustice meted out to him by ensuring the defeat of Aparajita in Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat from where she is seeking re-election for a second term.

Khandayatray had polled 74,510 votes in 2019 elections and lost to BJD’s Jyotirindra Nath Mitra by around 10,000 votes.

Samir Dash’s Indirect Challenge

Former minister and incumbent legislator Samir Ranjan Dash seems to be working against BJD’s official candidate Dillip Kumar Nayak, who hopped from Congress to BJP and then to BJD, in Nimapara Assembly constituency.

Three days after being denied the ticket, Samir on April 20 indirectly challenged the party leadership’s decision by organising and addressing a huge rally of his supporters at Barabati Padia, which reverberated with the slogan ‘Samir Nahin Ta, Sankha Nahin’ (No Samir, no Conch).

He had won the seat thrice in a row in 2009, 2014 and 2019.

At a meeting at Nimapara on April 27, the legislator received a resounding no from his supporters when he asked if anyone besides him and wife Sangeeta were acceptable to them as party nominee from the seat. His supporter also set April 30 as the deadline for the party to reconsider his case. They had even threatened to resign from the party en masse. “If the party doesn’t reconsider your (Dash) candidature, we should fight the poll as an Independent.” said president of Nimapara block Ashok Sahu.

The BJD, however, disappointed him again when Naveen Patnaik announced the final list of candidates on May 2 with only one change pertaining to Deogarh Assembly seat.

Rumours abound that he might file his nomination as an independent.

Twin Trouble In Khadapada

Anubhav Patnaik’s rebellion nearly eight months after the BJD expelled sitting MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik in the wake of an alleged loan fraud case can create serious trouble for the party in Khandapada. While Anubhav has already filed nomination as an independent, another ticket aspirant Gayadhar Parida has also quit the party after nomination of Sabitri Pradhan from the seat.

In 2014, Anubhav won from Khandapada on BJD ticket but he had to make for Soumya five years later. Though peeved, he had continued with the party.

Amid speculation that Gayadhar may also contest the upcoming polls as an independent, the spilt in BJD votes can cost the party dearly.

Sitting MLA Go Independent In Telkoi

Former minister and sitting MLA Premananda Nayak has also decided to contest as an independent after being denied a ticket by BJP from Telkoi Assembly seat. The two-time MLA had joined the BJP in March after quitting BJD.

The BJP has fielded Fakir Mohan Naik from the seat ignoring Premananda’s candidature.

The legislator can also spell trouble for BJD candidate Madhav Sardar, who earlier represented Keonjhar Lok Sabha seat from 1996-1998.

A tribal leader, Premananda was minister of state of skill development and technical education (independent charge) in chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s council from 2019 to 2022.

Soumya Tilt In Ghasipura

After much speculation, Khandapada MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik has finally announced that he would fight the Assembly election from Ghasipura as an independent candidate.

Though he had hinted on April 30 of getting an offer from the BJP to contest from Ghasipura, the saffron party named  Shambhunath Rout from the seat. The BJD has repeated sitting MLA Badri Narayan Patra from the seat.

Soumya entering the poll fray can upset calculations of both parties in the electoral battleground.

With ticket aspirant raising the banner of revolt and a few others also contemplating to enter poll fray as independent, the going can get tough for both BJP and BJD.