After the first phase poll came to an end on April 10 with high voters’ turnout in Rourkela and RN Pali Assembly constituencies, poll managers of ruling BJD are apprehensive about retaining both the seats. Any negative outcome will have greater political ramification for the BJD as its main rival BJP led by heavyweight Dilip Ray will gain an upper hand.
The general category Rourkela Assembly constituency recorded a rise of 18.59 per cent (pc) polling as compared to 2009 and 2014 saw additional casting by 36,584 votes. A total of 1,22,910 votes were polled against 86,326 votes in 2009.
BJD insiders admit high turnout of voters usually reflects anti-incumbency. In such case, political experts feel, the decision might go against sitting BJD MLA from Rourkela Sarada Prasad Nayak and brighten the prospects of his rival Ray.
The adjacent RN Pali AC (Schedule Caste) also recorded a rise of 12.84 pc with additional casting of 27,847 votes. RN Pali represented by BJD Minister Subrat Tarai witnessed a total polling of 1,05,295 votes against 77,404 votes polled in 2009.
BJP’s former alliance partner BJD had retained Rourkela from 2000 to 2009. After the coalition broke, BJP lost and BJD’s Nayak won for the second time. Constituency delimitation in 2009 saw a vast portion of the Rourkela Constituency getting included into RN Pali and Tarai won the election. Three years later, he became Minister due to change in internal power equations of BJD.
On returning to State politics, Ray took the responsibility to ensure BJP’s victory in the twin seats and his protege Jagabandhu Behera also performed well against Tarai. The Modi wave also seemed to have worked in the twin seats having a cosmopolitan population. BJP national vice-president Jual Oram admitted Ray has changed the equation in the twin seats and predicted that BJD’s downfall would begin from Rourkela.
Stakes are high for the BJD as Ray in 1998 had taken initiative in Rourkela to form BJD and three years later, he faced unceremonious ouster from the party. As a last ditch effort, BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik intensively campaigned for Nayak and Tarai. Rourkela unit BJD president AC Mohanty said although the contest looked close, his party is poised to retain the two seats.
