BERHAMPUR: The Sanakhemundi Assembly segment in Ganjam district stands out as a crucial battleground being the sole constituency represented by the Congress party in the district.
The constituency comprises the Sanakhemundi and Dharakote blocks after being carved out of the Kabisuryanagar Assembly segment. In 2009, Ramesh Jena clinched victory as an MLA on a Congress ticket, despite facing numerous criminal charges, including murder and dacoity.
However, in 2014, he was defeated by Nandini Devi of the BJD. Despite legal restrictions barring his entry into Berhampur without court permission due to pending cases, Jena reclaimed the seat in 2019, triumphing over Nandini Devi amidst the BJD’s electoral dominance.
Jena’s dual role as the lone Congress MLA in the segment and president of the Ganjam Congress unit underscores his political influence for a long time till the recent restructuring of the Ganjam Congress unit into East and West districts. After that, Deepak Patnaik and Rabindra Sharma assumed leadership roles, yet Jena’s sway remains intact.
Despite losing the president post, Jena’s candidature was declared in the first list of Congress candidates released last week. As the ruling BJD endeavours to wrest control of the segment, internal factionalism has been troubling the party. The delay in announcing candidates by both the BJD and BJP has left voters intrigued.
While contenders vie for the BJD and BJP tickets, Jena has commenced his campaign, setting the stage for a fiercely contested battle in the upcoming elections.