BHUBANESWAR: With the induction of former firebrand BJP leader Lekhashree Samantsinghar, tipped to be fielded from Balasore Lok Sabha constituency, the BJD has once again shot two targets with one bullet.
The party has not only silenced a strong anti-BJD voice in Lekhashree, known for her carping criticism against the ruling dispensation, but also attempted to bring together all BJD factions in Balasore Lok Sabha constituency to secure a unified fight against former Union minister and sitting BJP MP Pratap Sarangi. Till now, the regional outfit was struggling to find a formidable candidate after former BJD MP Rabindra Jena opted out of the ticket race on the basis of ‘one family one ticket’ policy of the party which has already announced the nomination of his wife Subasini Jena for Basta Assembly segment.
The retired assistant professor was, however, a surprise catch for BJD when attempts to make other aspirants for Assembly tickets agree for the Lok Sabha seat did not yield any suitable result. Of the 21 Lok Sabha seats, BJD has already declared tickets for 20, barring Balasore. While six tickets have been given to woman and the fact that the party aims to give 33 per cent tickets to women like it did in 2019, it is almost certain that the candidate from Balasore would be a woman.
As Lekhashree’s swift entry into BJD has caused ripples in the state political landscape, the move by the BJD leadership is perceived as a calculated strategy to consolidate power and strengthen the party’s position, particularly in Balasore district. She is expected to forge strategic alliances with influential leaders including the former MP and other BJD MLA candidates to strengthen the party’s electoral prospects and tilt the balance of power in favour of BJD.
A daughter-in-law of Nilagiri, she would be able to give a strong fight to Sarangi, who also belongs to the same area. In order to counter the challenges, Sarangi, who has already started touring the constituency, would have to adopt a multi-faceted strategy by emphasising on development initiatives. He may also seek to capitalise on any potential dissatisfaction or disillusionment among BJD supporters regarding Lakhashree’s switch of allegiance.
Balasore is poised for an interesting fight if she gets nominated by BJD and former Union Minister Srikanta Jena secures a Congress ticket. Jena’s political experience may attract traditional Congress supporters and potentially divide the anti-BJP vote share. However, his impact would likely depend on the strength of the party’s organisational infrastructure and ability to mount a credible challenge.
While the BJD nominee had got 41.33 per cent votes in 2014 and defeated the BJP candidate by a margin of 1.41 lakh votes, the vote share of the saffron party soared from 27.81 per cent to 41.79 per cent in 2019 taking the advantage of BJD factionalism and pushing the regional party to second spot. Interestingly, the Congress vote share dropped constantly from 35.17 per cent in 2009 (when Srikanta Jena won the election) to 15.5 per cent in 2019.