MALKANGIRI: With 2019 General Election a few months away, hectic political activities are on among the aspirants for the tickets of different parties in the reserved Assembly constituencies of Chitrakonda (ST) and Malkangiri (ST).
Sitting BJD MLA of Malkangiri Manas Madkami is doing his best to seek reelection claiming that almost 80 per cent of the party workers and supporters are with him. Special Development Council Chairman Adma Rawa is also reportedly in the race. Besides, Mukund Sodi, the former BJD MLA who is now in BJP, is likely to cross over to BJD if his party denies ticket to him, party insiders said.
Madkami, who was on back foot after the party’s miserable performance in the last Zilla Parishad election, is now upbeat about his prospects after his recent show of strength in Naveen Niwas.
The Congress has already announced Mala Madhi as party candidate for Malkangiri constituency four months back. Similarly, BJP leader Aditya Madhi, who had fought the last election unsuccessfully, will try his luck this time too.
However, there seems to be a rush of aspirants for Chitrakonda constituency. While the incumbent BJD MLA Dambru Sisa is leaving no stone unturned to seek reelection, the former Congress leader and police officer Sarat Chandra Buruda, who joined BJD recently, is tipped to be the front runner among the aspirants. According to party sources, Buruda has a huge support base across the constituency, particularly the tribals.
Similarly, former deputy speaker Prahallad Dora is a front runner for the BJP ticket from the seat, while former Korukonda block chairman Subash Podiami and former sarpanch Jalandhar Nayak are also in the race.
While Dora is reportedly the choice of many BJP workers and leaders at the grass root level, RSS is backing Podiami.
The Congress has two aspirants for the seat. While Mathili block chairperson Laxmipriya Nayak is supported by a section of the party, ZP member Balraj Kope is backed another section.