Parties readying for poll battle

Aska parliamentary constituency came into existence during

Oblivious of poll fever, a cowherd carries on with his daily grind in Balasore

BERHAMPUR: Aska parliamentary constituency came into existence during second Lok Sabha as one among the two constituencies in Ganjam district and Mohan Naik of INC was the first to represent the seat in Parliament in 1957 election. He retained the seat in the third Lok Sabha election in 1962 as INC candidate but the constituency was renamed Bhanjanagar.

The INC retained the seat in the fourth Lok Sabha election in 1967, but this time Naik was replaced by AT Sharma. In the fifth Lok Sabha election in 1971, the seat slipped from the grasp of INC as DK Panda of CPI emerged victorious.

In the sixth Lok Sabha election in 1977, the constituency was renamed Aska and Congress regained the seat with the victory of its candidate Ram Chandra Ratha who retained the seat in seventh Lok Sabha election in 1980.

In the eighth Lok Sabha election, Congress fielded Somnath Ratha who returned to Parliament. However, the voters elected AN Singhdeo of Janata Dal in the ninth Lok Sabha election in 1989. Ratha of Congress regained the seat in the 10th Lok Sabha election in 1991.

In 11th Lok Sabha election in 1996, the voters preferred Biju Patnaik of Janata Dal and continued their support for the JD in the by-election held in 1997 following the death of Biju by electing his son Naveen.

Naveen retained the seat in the 12th Lok Sabha election by defeating Chandra Sekhar Sahu of Congress and become a member in the Vajpayee ministry at the Centre.

Prior to the election, the JD was divided and a new party Biju Janata Dal came into existence headed by Naveen. BJD fought the election after forging an alliance with BJP. Though in the process Naveen lost the support of Communist parties, still he won the 13th Lok Sabha election with ease. Later Naveen won from Hinjili Assembly segment and vacated the Aska seat. Kumudini Patnaik of BJD was elected from the constituency.

In the 14th Lok Sabha poll in 2004, Harihara Swain of BJD got elected but was subsequently expelled from BJD for not toeing the party line during trust vote in Parliament.

The constituency comprised Jagannathprasad (SC), Aska, Hinjili, Khalikote, Kodola, Kabisuryanagar and Soroda Assembly segments. However, the scenario changed after delimitation. Kodola and Jagannathprasad segments have been abolished and in their place Sanakhemundi and Polosara created.