Cuttack: Even as all the mainstream political parties have started their poll preparations in full swing for Cuttack Sadar Assembly segment, the fate of probable candidates hangs in balance as far as ticket distribution is concerned.
The seat has been reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates following the delimitation of constituencies carried out in 2009. The constituency consists of 23 wards of Cuttack Sadar block, 14 panchayats of Nischintakoili block and six wards of Cuttack Municipal Corporation.
The incumbent Sports and Youth Affairs and Electronics & Information Technology Minister Chandrasarathi Behera (BJD) had defeated his nearest rival Dilip Mallick of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by 25,791votes in 2014 Assembly elections. Congress candidate Chandrasekhar Samal was in third position by securing 18,271 votes.
Although altogether 10 candidates had contested the elections, the real fight was between BJD and BJP. Cuttack Sadar was the only segment in the district which witnessed a direct fight between the saffron party and the ruling dispensation in 2014 polls.
Political experts are of the opinion that BJP will fight the 2019 election in the segment with renewed vigour and strength.
After delimitation of constituencies, former Salipur MLA Kalindi Behera was picked for Cuttack Sadar in 2009. His son Chandrasarathi contested the polls from Salipur Assembly segment in 2009. However, instead of Kalindi the BJD chose Chandrasarathi for 2014 Assembly elections.
Asked whether he would be chosen by the party for the upcoming polls, Chandrasarathi said, “The decision will be taken by party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. I will work for the party if I fail to get a ticket and I’m sure that BJD will win the elections here.”
It is said that securing party ticket holds utmost significance for Chandrasarathi as he is a minister now.
Another significant factor which would determine the fate of the candidates is the BJD government’s stress on giving 33 per cent reservation for women candidates in the upcoming elections. If the party distributes tickets on this basis, political grapevine has it that either Chandrasarathi’s mother and Salipur block chairperson Pramila Behera or Sadar block chairperson Srimantini Behera may get a ticket for Cuttack Sadar.
In her reaction, Srimantini said she had applied to the party for a ticket and that it all would depend on the Chief Minister. “I will be with the party, even if I don’t get a ticket,” she stated.
In the BJP camp, there is none other than the name of Dilip Mallick which is doing rounds for the party pick. According to Dilip, “BJP will win the Assembly seat and the opposition parties will fade away in the face of Modi’s popularity.” The BJP’s fight in this segment will be with BJD, he added.
The Congress, on the other hand, has been witnessing defeat for the last four elections. Bijaylaxmi Sahoo had won the election in 1995. The Congress party has sent names of two aspiring candidates to the screening committee. “Ratnakar Behera and Bankanidhi Behera of the party are in the race for tickets as the candidate for the 2014 elections Chandrasekhar Samal has remained aloof from the constituency for quite some time,” said district Congress president Gurupada Nanda.
When asked, Congress aspirant Ratnakar said he is not lobbying for tickets.
Bankanidhi said he had been working for the party since his student life. “I’m very hopeful of getting a ticket,” he said.
However, both of them said that they would work for the party even if they fail to secure a ticket. The Congress probables asserted that the fight would be between Congress and BJD.