Digapahandi: A triangular contest is on the cards in Digapahandi Assembly segment as the Congress party looks for ways to take advantage of the infightings in the ruling BJD and BJP.
Political analysts claimed that though there will be a triangular fight between the three parties, Congress will race ahead of the BJP and give a tough fight to the ruling BJD in the Assembly seat.
This Assembly seat was created in 2009 comprising the 25 panchayats under Digapahandi block and Digapahadi NAC as well as 16 panchayats under Kukudakhandi block. A total of six candidates are contesting from this seat.
They are former minister and BJD state unit vice-president Surya Narayan Patro, cine actor Pinki Pradhan of BJP, Congress district unit vice-president and former chairman of Digapahadi NAC Prafulla Panda, Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP) Pabitra Kumar Tripathy and Bhagaban Sahu of Ambedkar National Congress. In addition, Uttam Kumar Panigrahi is an Independent candidate here.
Patro won this seat securing 65,219 votes in the 2009 elections. Congress candidate V Rabi Narayan Raju came second with 32,456 votes, while BJP’s Sridhar Dev was third securing only 4, 119 votes.
Patro won the seat again in 2014 election securing 78,949 votes followed by Congress candidate Saka Sujit Kumar (33,052 votes) and BJP’s Bijay Kumar Swain (7,771 votes).
The BJD candidate secured 61.75 per cent votes in 2009 election, while it declined to 61.46 per cent in the 2014 election. On the other hand, BJP’s vote share doubled in 2014. In the 2009 election, BJP received 3.90 per cent votes which increased to 6.05 per cent in the 2014 election. Similarly, Congress received 32,456 votes in 2009 and 33,052 votes in the 2014 election.
This time, Congress has changed its strategy and fielded a young new face – Prafulla Panda. The party is learnt to have prepared a blue print to defeat BJD heavyweight Patro in the election. The party is also pulling out all stops to take advantage of the infighting in ruling BJD and BJP.
Observers said that Prafulla, being an aggressive leader, might pose problems for the BJD candidate. Patro is an experienced politician, but with age catching up with him it is to be seen how far he will be able to connect with the voters.
The Congress party is expecting to win this election taking advantage of the infighting in the BJD and the resentment among the BJP cadres over selection of party candidate.
On the other hand, Independent Uttam might prove a stumbling block for the BJP nominee Pinki Pradhan, who is trying her luck for the first time in this election.
Uttam was an aspirant for the BJP ticket for the seat as he has been managing the party in the area. BSP’s Pabitra and Bhagaban of Ambedkar Congress have been ruled out of the race due to their lackluster campaigning. However, it is difficult predict who will win this election.
When contacted, BJD candidate Patro said that various developmental works have been undertaken in the area during last 10 years. Hence, he will seek vote from the people on the basis of developmental plank of the state government.
Congress candidate Panda said that agricultural loans will be waived off if his party comes to power and the labourers will be given 150 days of work instead of 100 days under the MGNREGS scheme. He is seeking votes on the basis Rs 72,000 annual assistance to each poor person under NYAY scheme announced by the Congress in its manifesto.
BJP candidate Pinki Pradhan said she is fighting the election on the basis of the development plank of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. She is requesting the people to vote for her as the daughter-in-law of Digapahandi.
Independent candidate Panigrahi said he is seeking votes raising the issues of rampant corruption and chaos in the state. He said that he will stop pilferages in government schemes and establish industries in the area.
Total Voters: 2, 11,916
Male voters: 110094
Female Voters: 101799
Polling Booths: 230
PNN