JEYPORE: The decision of BJD to drop Kotpad legislator Padmini Dian in its first candidate list has heightened suspense over the fate of sitting MLAs of Pottangi and Laxmipur whose victory margin was less than 5,000 votes in 2019 elections.
Padmini had won the 2019 polls by a narrow margin of 2,631 votes. While she polled 62,248 votes, her nearest rival Chandra Sekhar Majhi of Congress had secured 59,617 votes. In 2024, BJD has denied Padmini a ticket from Kotpad and instead fielded Chandra Sekhar who joined the ruling party in 2024.
Sources said local BJD workers believe Pottangi MLA Pitam Padhi and Laxmipur legislator Prabhu Jani may also be denied tickets like Padmini as the party is yet to announce its candidates for the two Assembly seats.
In 2019 elections, Pitam had defeated Congress candidate Ram Chandra Kadam by 4,235 votes. While he secured 51,244 votes, Ram Chandra got 46,989 votes. Similarly, Prabhu’s victory margin was only 229 votes in Laxmipur. He polled 45,211 while his nearest rival of Congress Kailash Chandra Kulesika secured 44,982 votes.
Political observers feel the BJD may not renominate these two MLAs due to their narrow victory margins in the previous polls. Besides, the public is unhappy over the lack of development works in Pottangi and Laxmipur constituencies. As Padmini has been replaced, it is being widely believed that BJD may drop the two sitting MLAs on basis of their performance, they said.
Among the frontrunners in BJD ticket race for Pottangi seat is former MLA Prafulla Pangi. Similarly, former MLA Kailash, who joined the ruling party last year, is lobbying for a BJD ticket from Laxmipur.
President of BJD’s Koraput unit Jhina Hikaka said the party will announce its candidates for Pottangi and Laxmipur Assembly seats in the last phase. “The decision to replace Kotpad MLA was taken by our party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. We had no say in it,” he added.