Jajpur: With the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections around the corner, the political situation in the Sukinda Assembly constituency does not look very bright for the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) which won the seat both in 2014 and 2019. Large-scale desertions have taken place within the BJD with many of its top leaders in this district joining the BJP.
Speculation is rife that the Ghadei family which has enjoyed huge popularity in the constituency for the last three decades may this time face a reverse in Sukinda. Many have pointed out that large-scale desertions are occurring as the BJD has failed to keep up with its promises made during the 2019 elections. It has been alleged that BJD has failed to fulfill the needs of the common people and is only looking after the interests of the rich including contractors and miners. It has created resentment among the locals. Yes, a few Congress leaders and workers have joined the BJD in the past few months.
However, the numbers are much less in comparison to the desertions. Despite the anti-incumbency wave, BJD workers think that the Ghadei family will continue their dominance in the upcoming Assembly election. Prafulla Ghadei has been winning the Sukinda Assembly seat for a long time and later on his son Preetiranjan took up the mantle winning in 2014 and 2019. Preetiranjan and the Ghadei family faced a lot of criticism in 2016 over the malnutrition death of kids at Nagada village under Sukinda block in July 2016.
However, it did not affect his popularity as he won again in 2019 defeating BJP’s Pradeep Balasamanta by a margin 16,730 votes. It should be stated here that the BJD benefitted in 2019, as senior Congress leader Amalendu Behera and his supporters joined the party just before the elections.
However, since then times have changed as Amalendu has quit the BJD and joined the BJP in 2021. Now he and Pradeep are working together to increase the voter base of the saffron party. It should be stated here that a few days back, BJD’s senior youth leaders Prafulla Dhala, Ajay Dhal and Kishore Chandra Jena in Danagadi block joined the BJP.
Some block chairpersons like Lalita Ray and Lopamudra Nayak and their respective husbands have also shifted their allegiance to the BJP. A few months back, hundreds of BJD workers belonging to 16 panchayats of Sukinda block have also joined the saffron party. Political analysts think that this large number of desertions will harm the BJD and the Ghadei family will not be able to maintain their stranglehold on the Sukinda Assembly constituency this time.