Bhanjakia: Ending all speculations, the BJD has fielded Golekh Bihari Nayak (member of the Special Development Council and former Zilla Parishad member) as its nominee for the Jashipur Assembly seat (no.29), reserved for ST in Mayurbhanj district Friday.
Significantly, he was the frontrunner for the party ticket among a number of aspirants.
The party could not repose faith in the incumbent MLA Mangal Singh Mudi.
The district has nine Assembly segments. Jashipur seat comprises Jashipur, Raruan and Sukruli blocks and nine panchayats under Kusumi block. A total of 52 panchayats are under the Assembly segment.
There were 279 booths and 1, 90, 182 voters in the 2014 elections.
Jashipur seat, which spreads near the Similipal area, has been represented by BJD twice. The election to this seat will be held April 29, the last phase of polls.
In the 2014 election, BJD candidate Mangal Singh Mudi was elected to the assembly by a margin of 5,000 votes from his nearest rival SUCI’s Shambhunath.
Golekh Bihari Nayak edged past other ticket aspirants because he had been involved in students’ politics while studying in DD College. Another advantage for Nayak was that he has always been associated with the BJD organisation since the beginning.
Due to his strong leadership and grassroots level connection, he was the only BJD man who was elected as ZP member in the 2017 panchayat elections in Jashipur segment. He has been instrumental in the win of BJD nominees for the Sukruli block chairperson and the deputy chairperson.
Though a youth leader, Nayak due to his organisational skills enjoys more popularity in the constituency. Political pundits had predicted, if Nayak is fielded as MLA nominee, the BJD may win the seat for the third time.
Others BJD leaders who were in the ticket race were sitting MLA Mangal Singh Mudi, his wife Buduni Mudi, block chairperson Managobinda Nayak, former block chairperson of Raruan, Routu Charan Laguri. Besides, an administrative officer, a retired administrative officer and former ZP member Chakradhar Hembram were aspiring for the tickets.
Most of the frontline BJD leaders from the constituency had been camping in Bhubaneswar for ticket lobbying for last several weeks.
On the other hand, the BJP has fielded Shambunath Nayak, a native of Similipal area and former SUCI leader, as its party nominee for the Jashipur Assembly seat.
PNN