Bhubaneswar: A stronghold of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha since 2000, Chikiti Assembly constituency in Ganjam district is all set to witness an interesting battle between two brothers in the upcoming elections.
After remaining a BJD bastion for more than two decades, Chikiti appears to be witnessing rise in Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) influence and dwindling Congress base. Usha Devi of the erstwhile Chikiti royal family has consistently won this seat five times since 2000. She had earlier won in 1990 as a Janata Dal nominee. Her son Chinmayananda Srirup Deb, an industrialist, is contesting from the seat as BJD candidate this time. He will face two brothers, fielded from two political parties, in an interesting fight.
With a decade of social work in the area and previous experience as the campaign manager for his mother, Srirup enjoys a strong support base. However, he will have to take on members of another politically influential family in the May 13 polls.
While BJP has nominated Manoranjan Dyansamantara from the seat, Congress fielded Rabindra Nath Dyansamantara as its candidate. Manoranjan and Rabindra Nath are sons of veteran leader Chintamani Dyansamantara, a three-time MLA from Chikiti. Chintamani was elected twice from the seat – in 1980 and 1995 – as an Independent and once on a Congress ticket in 1985. He was Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly twice and Speaker from 1996 to 2000. His family wields considerable political clout in the region.
Usha Devi, as a Janata Dal nominee, put a stop to Chintamani’s run in 1990. After that, the segment saw six more elections. Barring 1995 elections when Chintamani won again as an Independent, Usha Devi went on to represent the seat as a BJD candidate a record five times from the seat.
As Congress nominee, Rabindra Nath leverages his father’s political legacy and pocket vote base, while BJP’s Manoranjan has experience of contesting elections since 2014. Both Srirup and Rabindra Nath are fighting their maiden electoral battle. Despite octogenarian Chintamani’s withdrawal from active electoral politics, his backing may revive the Congress’ former glory.
While Manoranjan unsuccessfully contested the assembly elections twice – on Congress ticket (2014) and BJP ticket (2019), Rabindra Nath is contesting for the first time. While Rabindra Nath says that the fight will be between two ideologies and not between two brothers, Manoranjan points to his active political involvement and dismisses any family interference. Father Chintamani has made it clear that his allegiance will be with Congress while respecting his sons’ individual decisions.
The political configuration seems to be undergoing rapid transformation in the politically sensitive constituency comprising Chikiti and Patrapur blocks in Ganjam district with Srirup’s candidature. The Assembly segment is all set to witness an interesting triangular contest with two brothers crossing swords.
