Baripada: The political atmosphere is heating up in Baripada, the cultural hub of Mayurbhanj district. Many hopefuls are eying party tickets of BJD, BJP, Congress and JMM.
The assembly seat consists of Baripada and Khunta blocks and nine panchayats under Badasahi block and has 1.90 lakh voters.
Baripada was represented by JMM leader Bimallochan Das in 2004. BJD leader Sananda Marandi won in 2009 and 2014.
As Sananda is Deputy Speaker, he was unable to attend party programmes here over last 10 years as his post is a constitutional one. Party workers and the public have been missing him and he has been losing ground here.
Due to the reservation policy of the BJD high command, there can be a change of face in Baripada, political observers said.
A section of voters believes that RS Member Sarojini Hembram could be the first choice for the party ticket in Baripada for the coming election. The party is trying hard to regain its lost ground.
Sarojini has been taking up the issue of railway development in Mayurbhanj with the Centre. She had been in public focus as she had been addressing meetings in various parts of the constituency.
In October, 2018, she and members of the Baripada Madhuban Development Committee had met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and had demanded a ring road for Baripada.
When the Chief Minister visited Baripada January 30, he had announced construction of the long awaited ring road. Sarojini’s supporters became active in the constituency after this announcement by the Chief Minister.
Although Sarojini has not revealed her plans, she is now found at party meetings these days and has strengthened organisational activities here.
“The government has been stressing the role of women. Whatever task the party president has given to men, I have done in the past. I have been working for things like the development of railways and tourism in the district. It is up to the party chief to pick the candidate for the polls. I will accept whatever task the party president gives me,” Sarojini said.
Sarojini and Sananda are the only contenders in the ring for the BJD ticket here.
Over last few years, many issues have not been dealt with properly. Issues like the lack of safe drinking water, irrigation, the ring road, the project to supply water from Jambira river, among others have not been sorted out by Sananda. Baripada Urban Cooperative Bank has not been revitalised. Many villages in the constituency do not have good roads.
The results in the zilla parishad polls had not gone in favour of BJD. It also exposed shortcomings in the party organisation. Of the five ZP seats, BJD got only one seat.
Parties like the BJP, JMM and the Congress have a large number of ticket hopefuls. Three leaders are in the run for BJP tickets. They are Zilla Parishad President Prakash Soren, State Executive Member Suman Singh and youth leader Priyabrata Majhi.
In the Congress, youth leader Rakesh Singh, Kamala Tiria, Biswanath Purty, Dasrath Marandi are the front runners for the party ticket. The JMM has three hopefuls – Phagu Hansda, Prabhudan Marandi and Das Marandi.
BJP leaders think that as development has taken a backseat in Baripada in the last 10 years, people will vote for the BJP. The results of the last panchayat elections have proved it, says the BJP.
Congress leaders hope that their party will come back to power this time as Baripada was once a bastion of the Congress and as rural people prefer young leaders.
The JMM is also upbeat about its prospects. JMM District President Phagu Hansda said Mayurbhanj has a large number of tribals, and JMM has always fought for them.
Sanjib Pradhan of Sachetan Nagarika Manch said that leaders come to power with promises, but forget them later. Now people will choose a leader who will be credible in development matters, he added.
In the 2014 Assembly polls, Sananda Marandi (BJD) had polled 37.49 per cent of votes, Nishamani Baske (BJP) 25.64 per cent, Priyabrat Majhi (Cong) 15.19 per cent and Phagu Hansda (JMM) 13.19 per cent.
PNN