BHUBANESWAR: With elections a few months away, the focus of the ruling BJD has turned to several important constituencies including the Puri Lok Sabha seat and the Assembly segments under it. The ruling party has been holding the seat for the last six consecutive terms of which the incumbent MP Pinaki Mishra, the regional outfit’s parliamentary party leader has won thrice since 2009. However, the cause of concern for BJD is that the party’s vote share had dropped by nearly three per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Mishra had defeated his nearest BJP rival Sambit Patra with a margin of only over 11,000 votes, which is too close for comfort.
One of the priorities before the party now is to retain the Puri seat at any cost in view of the aggressive campaign launched by BJP. Besides, Patra who is likely to be fielded again from the seat, is in regular contact with the electorate and this has emerged as a concern for the BJD. Besides, the situation in Assembly segments under the parliamentary constituency has also undergone change. Out of the seven assembly segments, Puri and Brahmagiri are held by BJP while BJD had won from five seats, Satyabadi, Pipili, Chilika, Ranpur and Nayagarh.
Besides, Puri and Brahmagiri, the situation in Chilika Assembly segment seems unfavourable for the ruling BJD. Sources said the situation in the three Assembly segments may have its impact on BJD’s performance from the seat in the Lok Sabha elections.
In this context, a meeting of the MLAs and other senior leaders of the party besides the district observer was held at the regional outfit’s state headquarters here in the presence of general secretary (organisation) Pranab Prakash Das. At the meeting, Das emphasised on unity in view of the coming elections.
BJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Manas Mangaraj had also called for unity within the party.