Nabarangpur: The Nabarangpur Assembly seat was a Congress bastion till 2009 but it went to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after it was declared a reserve constituency for tribal candidates that year. Since then, BJD has won twice from this seat.
This time, the Congress has again fielded Sadan Nayak from this seat while the BJP nominee is Gouri Shankar Majhi.
The BJD has nominated Sadashiv Pradhani, while BJD dissident Vedavyas Bhatra is contesting as an Independent candidate.
Political analysts claimed that there will be triangular contest from this seat in between the BJD, the Congress and the BJP.
The BJD candidate is the son of former Zilla Parishad chairman Gopinath Pradhani and is the nephew of former MP Khagapati Pradhani.
Bhatra, who was an office bearer of BJD for long years, and Manjula Majhi, chairperson of the Special Development Council, were in the race for the ruling party’s ticket.
However, they were let down after the party fielded Pradhani from the seat. Manjula is not active in the area as she is being neglected by the party while Bhatra decided to contest as an Independent after being denied BJD ticket.
Observers claimed that Bhatra might spell trouble for the BJD candidate as he is likely to divide the party votes.
While the BJP and the BJD have fielded new faces, the Congress has reposed faith in its old candidate.
All the three parties are trying to lure the voters with attractive promises.
The BJD which was initially going slow received a boost after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visited the area and campaigned for the party candidates.
The Congress, which was in news after a purported obscene video of its MP candidate Pradip Majhi from Nabarangpur Lok Sabha seat went viral on social media platforms, has managed to overcome the controversy and intensified its campaign.
All the parties are organising meetings in localities and have intensified their campaigns. The BJP candidate is moving from door to door to woo the voters.
Pradhani said he is campaigning on issues like education, irrigation, women empowerment and developmental works undertaken by the BJD government.
Congress candidate Sadan Nayak said the state government had promised to construct a canal to provide water from the Indravati reservoir to farmers on the downstream. However, 10 years have passed but the promise is yet to be fulfilled as the state government has failed to start soil excavation for the canal. He is highlighting the issue along with other issues like increase in MSP for paddy, employment opportunities and farm loan waiver.
The BJP candidate Gouri Shankar Majhi is banking on the developmental works of the Modi government at the Centre.
He is also harping on various issues such as absence of government status to Nabarangpur College, labour migration, healthcare, education, transportation and renovation of water bodies.
Independent candidate Vedavyas has directed his campaign against all three major parties.
Fact sheet
Nabarangpur Assembly seat comprises 13 panchayats of Nabarangpur block, 11 panchayats of Nandahandi block, 11 panchayats of Koshagumuda block and 15 panchayats of Tentulikhunti block. Polling will be held in 270 booths.
The numbers
Total Voters: 2, 26.130
Male Voters: 1, 10,434
Female Voters: 1, 15,660
Others: 36
2014 elections results
Manohar Randhari (BJD): 76,659 votes
Sadan Nayak (Congress): 65, 270 votes
Birendra Pujari (BJP): 13,496 votes
NOTA: 3,624 votes
2009 election results
Manohar Randhari (BJD): 51,448 votes
Sadan Nayak (Congress): 48,114 votes
Manjula Majhi (BJP): 18,135 votes
PNN
