ROURKELA: THE Zilla Parishad (ZP) election in Birmitrapur Assembly segment in the tribal-dominated Sundargarh district has become all the more interesting in the wake of the ruling BJD making all out efforts to decimate tribal strongman and three-time Birmitrapur MLA George Tirkey.
Over the last few years, Tirkey has been hostile to the BJD Government and opposing all initiatives taken by it citing tribal land rights.
The six ZP seats in Birmitrapur Assembly segment spread over Kuanrmunda, Nuagaon and Bisra blocks have 2,13,507 rural votes. Tirkey is a dominating force and all the three major parties __ BJD, Congress and BJP __ have a direct fight with Tirkey’s candidates. In the segment, Tirkey has three ZP seats, BJD has two and Congress one.
Political observers say the BJD’s success in the ZP poll would be key to removal of Tirkey in the 2019 Assembly poll. The BJD began preparations at least five years ago when it managed to clinch the 11-member Bimitrapur Municipality from Tirkey.
In 2014 Assembly poll, Tirkey had retained Birmitrapur by garnering 46,114 votes, while BJP, JMM and BJD candidates had secured 34,167 and 27,849 and 25,158 votes respectively.
Tirkey’s confidant Jagadish Agarwal said the ZP election would be fought under the banner of apolitical outfit Sundargarh Zilla Adivasi Mulwasi Bachao Manch (SZAMBM) with the preferable symbol of drum. The common slogan is ‘Party Chhodo. Mati Jodo’ (Leave party and connect to land).
Tirkey exuded confidence to achieve a thumping victory in the six ZP seats. Tirkey, through SZAMBM, has been consistently opposing development projects and polarising tribal voters on the issue of protecting tribal land.
But, the BJD, led by Rourkela Development Authority (RDA) Chairman and former BJD minister Sarada Prasad Nayak, is unfazed and said the BJD’s agenda of development would defeat the divisive politics of Tirkey.
The BJD is trying to vigorously penetrate into the stronghold of Tirkey through BJD MP and hockey icon Dilip Tirkey, a Catholic, Sports Minister Sudam Marandi, BJD general secretary Prashant Nanda and Odisha Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board Chairman Subash Singh.
Despite the efforts, Tirkey could do the damage for the BJD as was evident from the result in the by-poll to Kuanrmunda-A ZP seat in September 2015. Tirkey’s nominee had won comfortably despite an electrifying campaign by a galaxy of BJD ministers.
Nayak said Tirkey’s agenda has not benefited his constituency and the tribal voters are realising that they want development.
The Birmitrapur segment, among other things, has seen rapid progress in rural connectivity, distribution of land records among tribals, implementation of social schemes and farm sector development under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. He accused Tirkey of misleading the illiterate and gullible tribals for his own political survival.