Jajpur/Dharmasala: The Dharmasala Assembly segment of Jajpur Parliamentary constituency is an important seat.
This Assembly seat comprises all the 45 panchayats of Dharmasala block and nine panchayats (Odiso, Kalana, Singhpur, Sribantapur, Jabara, Nathuabar, Rahamba, Barabati and Rasulpur) of Rasulpur block.
The number of voters in Dharmasala is 2,24,263. Of this, 29,410 are first-time voters.
The Congress won this Assembly seat last in 1985. After 1990, for around three decades, the seat was won by the Janata Dal and the BJD.
During the current general elections, many local leaders and workers of other political parties have joined the BJD, and it has become more powerful. The BJD’s campaign and its roadshows have troubled other political parties.
With just a few hours left for polling in Dharmasala, many Congress workers joined the BJD Friday.
Although many factors favour the BJD, the possibility of anti-incumbency has increased its concerns.
In the recent Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, anti-incumbency had turned all calculations upside down. A similar fear psychosis is being found in the BJD candidate of Dharmasala Assembly constituency.
Sources said the BJD’s sitting MLA Pranab Balabantaray is ahead of all other contenders in electioneering.
Senior Congress leader Shyam Sundar Samal and Youth Congress president Sanjay Kumar Rout joined the BJD Friday along with many supporters. Their entry into the BJD was organised by Dharmasala Bikash Parishad president and BJD’s election managing committee member Srikant Sahu.
The BJD candidate is fighting with a ‘do or die’ spirit. He is trying hard to win a second term from Dharmasala and the party’s standing seems to be good.
Meanwhile, in the BJP camp dissidents have become a headache for candidate Ramesh Chandra Parida. Although the BJP organisation in the constituency is not strong enough he is pinning hopes on the ‘Modi wave’.
Congress candidate Smrutirekha Pahi is contesting for the first time. However, she is getting public support in some places as she is an educated candidate. But Smrutirekha is not getting adequate support from her party and is facing problems.
Political analysts say the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to be helping the BJP. The possible anti-incumbency factor in the Dharmasala Assembly constituency might change the whole scenario.
PNN