Baripada: The political atmosphere in the Baripada Assembly constituency (No: 33) in Mayurbhanj district is slowly crystalising after the announcement of the election schedule.
The political equation here had changed after the rise of the BJP in the 2014 polls and panchayat elections. The BJP has been trying to broaden its base by focusing on the BJD’s faults, while the Congress and the JMM are actively trying to woo voters.
But many voters have lost confidence in the leaders as they have failed to deliver on promises, a report said. Given this, there is no clear indication on how the people here are likely to vote.
Baripada is an important Assembly seat in this tribal district. The seat consists of Baripada municipality, Khunta block and nine panchayats in Badasahi block. The nine panchayats are Gudualaibandh, Jadunathpur, Jarkani, Khanua, Naupal, Purnachandrapur, Sarankerko, Tangashola, Uthaninagan.
The number of voters here is around 1.90 lakh, and it is reserved for ST.
In 2004, JMM leader Bimal Lochan Das was elected from here. The seat went to the BJD in 2009, and in 2014 the BJD’s Sananda Marndi was elected from here.
Political observers say that as Sananda is occupying the Constitutional post of Deputy Speaker for 10 years he has not been able to attend party meetings. Naturally party workers have lost touch with him.
If the BJD fields a woman as candidate from here the name of Sarojini Hembram will come first. Her supporters are talking about her possible candidature in the coming polls. Although Sarojini hasn’t joined the ticket race she is now seen at meetings.
No other BJD leader is in the ticket race from here except the above two. But the BJD is worried as the results of the panchayat elections went against it. Of the five Zilla Parishad seats the BJD could win only one.
But Sananda asserted that in the last 10 years a lot of development projects have been executed in Baripada.
“The construction of the 24X7 water supply project to supply water from the Jambira River to Baripada town is in full swing. People will soon get water from the project,” he said.
He added that he tried to establish a government medical college and hospital at Baripada and has taken up the complaints of depositors of the Baripada Cooperative Bank and the Baripada Ring Road with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
“It depends on the BJD president to give me the ticket or not. The party is focusing on revising the strategy adopted during the last panchayat elections,” he added.
Rajya Sabha member Sarojini Hembram said the selection of candidates is the prerogative of the BJD president. She added that she would take up any responsibility given to her by the party.
The other parties have more than two hopefuls. Former ZP president Prakash Soren and state executive member Priyabrat Majhi are the ticket hopefuls in the BJP.
Youth leader Rakesh Singh, Kamala Tiria, Biswanath Purty and Dashrath Marandi are lobbying for the Congress ticket.
The JMM has three hopefuls. They are the party’s district president Phagu Hansda, Prabhudan Marandi and Das Marandi.
BJP leader Priyabrat Majhi had earlier contested on a Congress ticket. Nishamani Baske who had contested on a BJP ticket is now not involved in active politics.
BJP leaders said that nothing significant was done in the constituency in the field of development in the last decade, and that the people will go for the BJP in the coming polls.
Youth Congress leader Rakesh said, “Baripada was earlier a Congress bastion. It will come back to the Congress this time.”
JMM leader Phagu Hansda said, “The district has a large number of tribal voters. JMM has been fighting for their rights and they have now understood what kind of development is going on. They will support the JMM now.”
Sanjib Pradhan of Sachetan Nagarika Manch said leaders make promises before elections and forget them later. “The people will ignore them and will choose the right person,” he said.
2014 polls results
Sananda Marndi (BJD) 54,131 votes
Nishamani Baske (BJP) 37,017 votes
Priyabrat Majhi (Cong) 21,933 votes
Phagu Hansda (JMM) 19,214
Debendranath Majhi (OJM) 1,846
PNN