BARIPADA: As the political scene heats up in Baripada Assembly segment of Mayurbhanj district, the contest between the BJD and BJP is poised to be fiercely competitive.
With the Congress, JMM, and other parties yet to announce candidates for the constituency, the spotlight remains on the face-off between incumbent BJP MLA Prakash Soren and BJD’s Sananda Marandi. Both candidates, backed by their respective parties’ heavyweight leaders, have started mobilising support of the voters.
Though voters were taken aback by the delay in BJD’s candidate announcement, eventually leading to Sananda Marandi’s nomination for Baripada, recent road shows and rallies led by Soren and Marandi demonstrated their show of strength and parties’ commitment to securing a majority in the constituency.
In the 2019 elections, Soren secured victory with 72,225 votes, defeating BJD’s Sarojini Hembram by a margin of 19,411 votes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting in Baripada during the campaign period had contributed to Soren’s success to a large extent, party sources said.
On the other hand, Marandi, a seasoned politician, has a strong political background, having been a three-time MLA, including a term as deputy speaker. His nomination adds weight to BJD’s poll campaign in Baripada, a constituency reserved for schedule tribe and a key battleground in Mayurbhanj district.
The electorate in Baripada is expected to favour candidates who prioritise local issues and champion the community’s concerns, given the constituency’s significance as the district headquarters. As both parties intensify their campaign efforts, the outcome of the Baripada Assembly segment will remain one of the most awaited.