BERHAMPUR: Even as just a few days are left for filing nomination papers for the Assembly and Parliamentary elections in the state, political circles are abuzz with the possibility of a new face to be fielded by the ruling BJD in the prestigious Berhampur constituency in Ganjam district, the home turf of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Five-time MLA Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik may be replaced with a young leader from the ruling party.
Throughout Friday, the entire south Odisha town was agog that BJD leader Bikram Panda has been nominated for Berhampur. But it has not been confirmed.
Orissa Post tried to contact the MLA, but he was not available. However, a BJD leader, on condition of anonymity, said that though the party has not yet announced its list of candidates for the Assembly polls, fielding a new face from here is sure.
Speculation is also rife that the two-time MP from Berhampur Lok Sabha seat Siddhant Mohapatra may be denied ticket this time.
Either BJD vice president Chandrasekhar Sahu or Paralakhemundi princess Kalyani Gajapati could be nominated in his place.
Friday afternoon, a closed-door meeting was held at the residence of the MLA in the presence of some former corporators, his close aides and some other party leaders. His supporters had decided to fax a message to the party supremo Naveen Patnaik seeking re-nomination of Chyau Patnaik. But it was not known whether the message was faxed or not.
The legislator, his wife and some of his supporters had decided to meet the Chief Minister in Bhubaneswar in this regard. They were said to have discussed the possible alternative if ticket was denied to the sitting MLA.
From 1995 to 2014, Chyau Patnaik had been elected first as Janata Dal candidate and then on BJD ticket from this seat. His consecutive electoral success has been ascribed to the infighting in Congress. In 1995, former Congress leader Chandrasekhar Sahu and his faction had reportedly helped Chyau Patnaik to defeat Congress nominee Alekh Choudhury. He had openly admitted it at a party meeting in BJD district office April 10, 2018.
In 2000, Congress nominee had to face debacle when Chandrasekhar Sahu had revolted against his party and contested as an Independent, thus dividing the Congress vote. Bikram was again trounced due to infighting in the 2009 and 2014 Assembly polls.
However, over the years, many prominent Congress leaders like Chandrasekhar and Bikram have crossed over to BJD. It is learnt that the party high command has got a whiff of the party becoming weak in Berhampur.
Supporters of Chyau Patnaik argue that as veteran Congress leaders are in the BJD, the party organisation has been strong in Berhampur. They have opposed nomination of a new BJD face for that seat.
However, some political analysts have observed that opposition of Chyayu Patnaik’s supporters will make no difference at the top in the matter of a new candidate for this seat.