After the announcement of dates for General Elections, speculations over the hopefuls for party tickets in Athmallick Assembly segment have gained wind. While BJP seems to have made a headstart by finalising its candidate Bhagirathi Pradhan, the BJD and Congress are yet to make their choices public.
In BJD, four-time MLA Sanjeev Sahu is facing a stiff challenge from bureaucrat Ramesh Sai for the party ticket. Sai resigned from the post of Additional Commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation two days back to join BJD. Sai is reported to have started his public contact programme in the constituency even before his resignation. Party sources said his resignation from services is enough indication that he is assured of the party ticket from the segment.
Sahu, on the other hand, banks on public support to be retained from the seat. The two-time minister and four-time MLA from the seat had defeated Congress candidate Surendra Pradhan by more than 20,000 votes in 2014 while BJP stood third. In the last Zilla Parishad election, the BJD and BJP won three seats each.
According to Congress sources, Pradhan is not interested to contest the election this time and names leaders like Subodh Mahapatra, Bijayananda Chaulia and State Congress secretary Pradip Behera are doing the rounds. Another possibility is, if Amar Pradhan does not get Lok Sabha ticket from Sambalpur, he may be the candidate from this seat. Amar had won the seat earlier in 1985 and had become a minister.
From the BJP, district president Bhagirathi Pradhan’s candidature is certain. Pradhan has already started his campaigning in the constituency. The BJP’s performance in the 2017 rural polls has infused new energy and enthusiasm among party workers.