Berhampur: The Congress party has lagged behind others in reorganising its cadre in panchayat and civic body elections in Ganjam district.
Over years, the grand old party has been losing its ground to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Its miserable condition is evident from the fact that between 2000 and 2019, only four Congress MLAs have won in the Assembly elections.
In the past, Ganjam was a Congress fort while its main opponents were Left wing parties. The ruling BJD has broadened its base in the district while the BJP has suffered organizational loss after separation from the ruling party.
In 2000, Usharani Panda was elected on the Congress ticket from Sorada Assembly seat.
In 2004, Trinath Behera was elected as MLA on the Congress ticket from Gopalpur Assembly segment while Congress’s Ramesh Jena was elected from Sanakhemundi Assembly seat in 2009.
However, the ruling BJD made a clean sweep in all the 13 Assembly constituencies in 2014, handing out a crushing defeat to the Congress. In the 2019 Assembly elections, Jena was the sole legislator who won for the Congress.
In 2004, BJP’s Kishore Chandra Singh won from Dharakote Assembly seat as the BJD shared the seat with the saffron party as part of an alliance. After the alliance was severed, the BJP continued to suffer organisational loss.
On the other hand, factionalism in the Congress cost it dear in Ganjam. A year ago, Ramesh Jena was made president of the district unit of the Congress.
However, the party’s hopes to gain its lost ground faded as the party shows no sign of improving. New faces were inducted as members of the Congress’s executive committee to boost the organisation.
The ruling party has chalked out strategies with its MLAs and frontline leaders keeping in touch with party cadre at the grassroots. Its organisational process at the block level and in the civic body areas are going on.
The party has given importance to the leadership of women, youths and student leaders. Sources said the Congress and the BJP are not in a position to counter the BJD in the district.
PNN