ROURKELA: Reinduction of Rourkela MLA Sarada Prasad Nayak in the state cabinet seems to be a part of the BJD’s larger strategy of snatching the all-important Sundargarh Lok Sabha (LS) constituency from the BJP for the first time since it came into power in Odisha.
After being removed from the cabinet in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt against BJD government in 2012, Nayak’s second innings as a minister proves that he has regained full confidence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
If BJD insiders are to be believed, Nayak will be given a free rein to scuttle dissidence and lead the ruling party in Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Sundargarh next year. He will also need to capitalise on the favourable conditions for the BJD following the party’s tremendous success in the panchayat polls and victory in two urban local bodies (ULBs) in Sundargarh.
Political observers feel the BJD’s focused strategy for 2024 elections and Nayak’s installation as a cabinet minister has significantly raised the bar for BJP’s former union tribal affairs minister and incumbent Sundagarh MP Jual Oram, who will seek his sixth victory in 2024.
Between 1998 and 2009, BJD did not contest from Sundargarh LS seat because of alliance with BJP. While Oram won thrice from the seat, Congress emerged victorious in 2009 when BJD ditched the BJP and backed CPM. In 2014, BJD candidate and hockey icon Dilip Tirkey lost to Oram by around 18,000 votes. In 2019, Oram retained the seat with a record margin of 2.23 lakh votes against BJD’s relatively weak candidate Sunita Biswal, daughter of former CM Hemananda Biswal.
Besides, whether in alliance with BJP or without it, the BJD has never managed to win more than three of the seven Assembly seats in Sundargarh. Now with prospects of Congress waning further, the BJD has a fair chance in 2024 polls.
In fact, the BJD laid the groundwork from 2020 when Sundargarh was split into Rourkela and Sundargarh organisational districts of the party. Nayak was made Sundargarh district planning committee chairman and Rourkela president, while his protege Binay Toppo was made the party’s head of Sundargarh unit.
Sources said Nayak will face little resistance to implement his poll strategy in the district as former minister Mangla Kishan is on the political sidelines due to old age and recent entrants to BJD including former MLAs Bhimsen Chaudhary, Yogesh Singh and Prafulla Majhi are largely confined to Bonai, Sundargarh and Talsara Assembly segments respectively.
A senior BJD leader said Nayak’s real test will be the way he manages ticket seekers in the seven Assembly seats and ensure the party’s victory. On his part, Nayak said he is indebted to the CM for reposing faith in him. “I am committed to give my best to meet the expectations of the party,” he added.
Poll performance
BJD yet to win Sundargarh LS seat since it came into power
Between 1998 and 2009, BJD did not contest from Sundargarh LS seat
Incumbent Sundagarh MP Jual Oram has won thrice from the seat
Congress emerged victorious in 2009 when BJD ditched BJP and backed CPM
In 2014, BJD candidate Dilip Tirkey lost to Oram by around 18,000 votes
In 2019, Oram retained the seat with a record margin of 2.23 lakh votes
Whether in alliance with BJP or without it, the BJD has never managed to win more than three of the seven Assembly seats in Sundargarh