BHUBANESWAR: With each passing election, dynasty politics seems to have increasingly become the norm - and not an aberration - in Odisha’s electoral landscape.
A look at the surge in the number and name of contenders from political families says it all. Be it BJD, BJP and Congress, every party loves to lecture on dynasty politics only to practise it at the end.
While the infusion of fresh blood with familiar surnames has changed the existing political dynamics, it signals towards their familial dominance in the state’s political landscape.
Despite battling the problem of plenty, BJD appears heavily inclined towards new generations of prominent political families. Though multiple aspirants were in the race, the party put its faith on senior Congress leader and Jatni lawmaker Suresh Routray’s son Manmath Routray, a new entrant in politics, to take on BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi in Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency.
Similarly, the ruling outfit picked Biplab Patra, son of former Assembly Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro, for Digapahandi Assembly seat while it fielded Srirup Deb, son of senior BJD leader and minister Usha Devi, from Chikiti.
BJD stalwart late Maheswar Mohanty’s son Sunil Mohanty was given a ticket by the party to fight from Puri Sadar Assembly segment while Aravind Mohapatra, son of former minister and senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra, was fielded from Patkura.
This apart, party’s former MP Rabindra Jena managed to secure a ticket for his spouse Subhasini Jena for Basta Assembly constituency. Ankit Pratap Jena, son of former law minister and senior BJD leader Pratap Jena, was named by the party from Mahanga segment. The list goes on with the party picking members of political families as its candidates for Umerkote, Sorada and a few other Assembly constituencies.
The same goes for BJP which has fielded Abhinandan, son of Kalahandi MP Basanta Kumar Panda, from Nuapada Assembly seat. Similarly, Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra’s niece and Congress firebrand leader late Lulu Mohapatra’s daughter Upasana was picked for Bramhagiri Assembly constituency. The party also fielded Malavika Keshari Deo, wife of former MP Arka Keshari Deo, a member of royal family, in Kalahandi Lok Sabha seat.
Congress, from where it all supposedly started, also picked several new faces from established political families as its candidates in multiple seats. In fact, the party went a step ahead by giving tickets to four members of a family in Nabarangpur constituency.
Party leader Bhujabal Majhi who has been given a ticket to contest for the Lok Sabha seat has secured a ticket for his daughter Lipika, a doctor, from Dabugaon Assembly seat. Two more relatives of Majhi are also said to have been given tickets.
Majhi, however, ruled out that the ticket was given to his daughter because of him. “The party gave ticket to Lipika because of public and Congress workers’ demand. When I was picked to contest for the Lok Sabha seat, people of Dabugaon suggested Lipika will be the right choice for the seat. Party workers also felt the same. Besides, Lipika after quitting her job in 2022 had fought the zilla parishad elections and won. She has been working for people of the region and has been an active Congress member,” the former MLA said.
Apart from Majhi, Congress veteran and former union minister Bhakta Charan Das’ son Sagar was named as the party candidate for Bhawanipatna Assembly segment. Das will contest from Narla this time.
With the parties yet to release list for all the seats, more faces from political clans and families are expected to emerge in the electoral fight. While the trend highlights the entrenched nature of dynasty politics, supporters argue their lineage brings experience, knowledge, and understanding of local issues to the table, making them worthy contenders.
BJP state unit spokesperson Sajjan Sharma said, “Unlike other parties, BJP never encourages dynasty politics. We have always preferred meritocracy over contenders’ familial ties. A few who bagged party tickets got those on the basis of their work and contribution for the party.”