Malkangiri: Bengali-speaking voters in the district will play a decisive role in the ongoing panchayat polls, if the percentage of votes recorded from this community during 2017 elections is any indication.
Malkangiri district had logged 64 per cent voting in the 2017 panchayat elections. However, it was 75 per cent in the areas dominated by Bengali-speaking people.
Political observers are of the view that Bengali-speaking people will hold the key in deciding the electoral fortune of candidates contesting for sarpanch, samiti member and zilla parishad (ZP) posts.
As per reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had managed to woo the Bengali voters during the last panchayat elections. The saffron party had won 10 ZP seats while two seats went to BJD’s kitty and one to Congress. The BJP had formed the ZP in the district.
Political analysts say the BJP leadership had drawn up strategies that clicked in their favour as a large number of Bengali voters had voted for the saffron.
“Bengali-speaking voters are very conscious and hold the key. They take calculative steps while choosing their leaders and their votes never get rejected,” they noted.
This time, the BJD has set its sight on these voters and drawn up some new strategies. A month ago, the leaders of the ruling party had organised a meeting at Poteru where over 5,000 Bengalis belonging to Madhua community joined the BJD.
A package of Rs 1 core was announced for construction of a temple for Madhua community just to hold the vote bank. This has dealt a blow to the saffron party. It is said that votes of Bengali community may not go in favour of the BJP this time.
Besides, the government has been trying to ensure all government benefits like health cards, drinking water, housing and education to these people through self-help groups (SHGs).
PNN