Keonjhar: With the third phase of elections a few days away, candidates contesting from Keonjhar Assembly constituency have geared up their campaign.
In 2019 general elections, Madhab Sardar (BJD), Mohan Charan Majhi (BJP), Bidyadhar Dehuri (Congress), Ramaprasad Hembram (BSP), Jayasingh Munda (Bahujan Mukti Party), Ranjeet Munda (All India Forward Bloc), Subarna Naik (Independent), Manmaya Bilash Tio (Independent) and Ganesh Chandra Munda (Independent) are contesting elections from this constituency.
It was learnt that there will be a triangular fight among three major political parties– BJD, BJP and Congress. The BJP has fielded Mohan Charan Majhi who won from this constituency twice in 2000 and 2004. However, he lost to the BJD in 2009 and 2014.
Madhab Sardar, the BJD candidate now, was earlier elected as a Member of Parliament as a Congress candidate. Later, he contested as an MLA candidate of the Congress from Keonjhar Assembly constituency and lost to his nearest rival Mohan Majhi.
Similarly, Bidyadhar Dehuri, the Congress candidate, had lost elections twice, once as an independent candidate and then as a Congress nominee. He, being a tribal leader, has got popularity in the area.
Subarna Naik, an ex-BJD MLA, is contesting this time as an independent candidate as he was not given a party ticket. He has been trying hard to win over local voters.
All the candidates have drawn up neat strategies to overcome last minute hurdles. Heavyweights and star-campaigners of major political parties come to this area and campaign for respective candidates.
BJP President Amit Shah conducted marathon meetings in this segment, seeking votes for his candidates. So also, BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik campaigned here Wednesday for his party candidates and appealed to local voters to extend their support. It was learnt from party sources that the Congress is planning to bring in star-campaigners to canvass support.
Senior BJD leader and political observer for Keonjhar Assembly constituency Surya Narayan Patro has been visiting several places across constituencies. Even as the BJD won this seat consecutively in 2009 and 2014, this time round it is trying hard to retain the seat.
Similarly, BJP is also in no mood to lose this seat which went out of its hand twice with a very low margin. The party does not want to leave anything to chances to win this seat.
The Congress party is banking upon its traditional votes and trying to draw tribal votes in its favour.
Giving his views, Congress candidate Bidyadhar Dehuri said, “Elected candidates of Keonjhar Assembly constituency have, by and large, resorted to nasty and cheap politics over past 20 years. They are in no way concerned with local issues. Drinking water is a major problem in the constituency and in the district as well. There is a provision to employ at least 1.44 per cent of local people in the mines of the district. However, BJD goons have taken control of most of the mines in this district”.
He is contesting to highlight these issues and is not facing any fight from other political parties, he claimed. The Congress will surely win this time, he asserted.
The ruling BJD candidate, Madhab Sardar, said, “My first and foremost work will be to carry forward the developmental programmes of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. I will take steps on a priority basis to resolve local issues like education, healthcare, road communication and drinking water”.
Coming to the saffron, its MLA candidate Mohan Charan Majhi has said, “I had initiated many welfare programmes in this constituency during alliance government from 2000 to 2009. As the wave for Narendra Modi is flowing throughout the country and the voters of Odisha are looking for a change, the BJP will certainly form a government in the state and the in centre as well.
PNN