Udala: The Udala Assembly constituency in Mayurbhanj district is always considered a citadel of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Except in 2019, the BJD candidates have always emerged victorious from this constituency. This time, however, there is a strong speculation that Udala may be reserved for women. Keeping this in mind many women aspirants for a BJD ticket in the 2024 Assembly elections have started promoting themselves to attract attention. Many of them with their pictures adorning posters wished the residents of the town a ‘Happy New Year’.
Yes, there are male aspirants too for this constituency. However, the number of women hopefuls far exceeds their male counterparts. Srinath Soren was elected from this constituency in 2009 on a BJD ticket. Former minister late Golak Bihari Naik defected from the BJP to BJD and won from this constituency in 2014. In 2019 however, BJP’s Bhaskar Madhei defeated BJD’s Soren by a slender margin. Amid this backdrop the BJD is determined to wrest the seat back from BJP. Aspirants for the constituency have already started lobbying to catch the eye of the BJD’s top brass. Hopeful women candidates are also doing the same.
Speculation is rife as to who will be nominated by the BJD, if this turns out to be a reserved seat for women. If BJD sources are to be believed, then former Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) deputy mayor, Bharati Singh has emerged as one of the frontrunners for the seat. She had earlier worked as an observer for this constituency in 2019. Bharati, who is currently a councilor from Ward No-12 in Bhubaneswar, has been camping here for quite some time now. She has been actively mixing with residents of this town to bolster her chances. However, also in the running is Sabita Hansda, president of Biju Mahila Janata Dal of Mayurbhanj-1. Sabita was the Udala block chairperson in 2007 and was elected as the Samiti member from Kundabai panchayat from 2017 to 2022. She also served as the party’s coordinator for Khunta and Kaptipada blocks in the district in 2021 and 2022.
Despite being belittled by her detractors, she is one person who may pip Bharati in the race. As far as the BJP is concerned, no strong woman aspirant has emerged. There is a buzz that Sulumani Madhei, daughter-inlaw of former MLA Ravaneswar Madhei, may be nominated by the saffron party. Pushpeswari Singh has emerged the front-runner for getting a nomination from the Congress. Her face has become very visible with the posters that she has put up at Gopabandhu block of this constituency.