PURI: The breakup in BJD-BJP alliance and poll-eve switch over of candidates from one party to another have upset the political calculations in many constituencies.
Puri Assembly segment is no different.
The stock of the outgoing MLA and former speaker Maheswar Mohanty took a beating after he was mired in several controversies, including sexual harassment and land scam in the Holy City. However, breakup in alliance and switchover of two of his principal rivals - Braja Kishore Tripathy and Umaballav Rath - to the BJP have made his position enviable.
Although the constituency was poised for a triangular fight, the contest till the last moment is between BJD candidate Maheswar and BJP candidate Umaballav. Congress candidate Uttam Acharya, a political greenhorn, is apparently in third position.
Mohanty is ahead of his rivals not for his image but for Naveen’s charisma. Although many in the party strongly disapprove him, there is no other choice for them, said a prominent BJD worker. A bete noire of Tripathy, Mohanty was always facing opposition from his rival camp. However, that problem is over after Tripathy jumped to the saffron camp.
Though the BJP has little presence in the constituency, its stock rose with the entry of Braja and Umaballav.
Once elected to the Assembly on Janata Dal ticket, Umaballav was the Congress nominee last time but lost to Mohanty. He joined the BJP this time after he was denied a Congress ticket.
Umaballav is heavily banking on Braja to cross the election hurdle. While pinning hope on the core support base of Braja, Umaballav is also trying to corner some Congress votes. Besides, Umaballav has strong hold over sevayat groups of Sri Jagannath Temple.
Although the Congress candidate has clean image, he was a strong supporter of Mohanty before joining the fray. Acharya, a grassroots level worker, is mostly depending on the traditional Congress votes. ‘‘The people of Puri has seen the decadence of the Holy Town under the leadership of Mohanty who is trying his luck fourth time in a row,’’ Acharya said and believed that the people of this constituency will give him a chance this time.
BRAMHAGIRI: Like the last time, it is a straight fight between sitting Congress MLA Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra and BJD nominee Sanjay Kumar Dasburma in Bramhagiri Assembly segment.
A three-time MLA since 1995, Mohapatra (popularly known as Lulu) has a strong base in the constituency. He had proved this by winning the seat in 2000 when there was a strong wave in favour of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Dasburma failed to dislodge Mohaptra in 2004 despite the fact that he had all the logistics support of the Government and popularity of the Chief Minister on his side. Like this time, Money had played a big role in the last election.
It is a do or die battle for both the candidates. Lulu is in a better position after delimitation as part of Kanas block, where he has a weak base, has been merged with Satyabadi. A few panchayats of Puri constituency, considered as Congress stronghold, comes under Bramhagiri.
However, he is uncertain of garnering the Congress votes from these areas after former Congress leader Umaballav joined the BJP.
This election has become a prestige issue for Dasburma who is the chairman of Orissa State Housing Board and State convenor of the Biju Juva Janata Dal.
