Odisha Polls: Will Minister Jagannath Saraka Score Hattrick In Bisamkatak This Time?

Bhubaneswar: Bisamkatak Assembly seat in Odisha’s Raygada district is poised for a contest among two Jagannaths – Minister Jagannath Saraka of BJD and Jagannath Nundruka of BJP – and Nilamadhav Hikaka of Congress.

Minister of State of Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Saraka was nominated by ruling BJD in its first list of nominees. He is contesting from Bisamkatak for third time in a row.

Saraka is pitted against his namesake Jagannath Nundruka of BJP. Nundruka, who was hopeful of BJD ticket this time, switched over to the saffron party after he was dropped from the ruling party’s list.

Saraka will go to the voters with the report card of BJD government for the last 5 terms and his performance for the last 10 years. He will also project the clean image of chief minister Naveen Patnaik and his transparent administration.

Nundruka, on the other hand, has highlighted the performance of the BJP government at the Centre and poor governance by the BJD in the state. He is expected to highlight the Centre’s steps for development of tribal communities in the constituency which is reserved for scheduled tribe.

Both leaders have strong organisational capabilities and are leaders from the grassroots level. Nundruka is expected to get support from his wife Dukhini Nundruka who is chairperson of Muniguda panchayat samiti.

Congress candidate Nilamadhav Hikaka has a tough task at hand as he faces opposition from a rebel group of the party besides two heavyweight contenders from BJD and BJP. The rebel faction has also raised a banner of revolt against party MP Saptagiri Ulaka for supporting Hikaka.

Besides, Hikaka has to deal with another candidate in the constituency Nilamadhav Ulaka, who is contesting as Independent after Congress did not nominate him.

Saraka had won 2019 elections by securing 66,076 votes, while Hikaka of Congress had come second with 52,792 votes and BJP finished third with its candidate Siba Shankar Ulaka polling 23,606 votes.

In 2014 Assembly elections, Saraka had won by defeating Dambarudhar Ulaka of Congress with a margin of 29,186 votes.

Whether Saraka can win from Bisamkatak for third consecutive time will be decided when the Assembly seat under Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency goes to polls in second phase in Odisha on May 20.