BERHAMPUR: The Berhampur Lok Sabha seat is all set for an interesting fight between the BJD and BJP candidates Bhrugu Baxipatra and Pradeep Panigrahy, both of whom were in the opposite camps in 2019. While Baxipatra was the BJP candidate from the seat, Panigrahy had played a central organisational role ensuring BJD candidate Chandra Sekhar Sahu’s victory. Panigrahy was then one of the most trusted lieutenants of chief minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik.
However, the political situation has completely changed in the constituency after the BJP roped in Panigrahy who was expelled from the BJD following his arrest on alleged corruption charges. After getting bail, he turned into one of the most vocal critic of the chief minister and other senior leaders of the party.
Panigrahy, the sitting MLA from Gopalpur and three time MLA from the constituency, has considerable following in Gopalpur Assembly segment and other areas of the district. He was the go to man for the chief minister for resolving all political and other issues in his home district Ganjam. Though the BJD has left nothing to chance to retain the seat, the BJP has been further strengthened by Sidhant Mohapatra who joined the party this month and has been made its candidate for Digapahandi Assembly seat.
The importance of Berhampur in the BJD’s scheme of things can be gauged from the fact that the chief minister has reviewed the situation twice during the last seven days and has appointed Chandra Sekhar Sahu as the coordinator for the Lok Sabha seat.
However, Congress which started with much enthusiasm to better its performance in this election seems to have lagged behind. Congress has fielded Rashmi Ranjan Patnaik, a new face who was earlier in Youth Congress.
The Berhampur seat was traditionally a Congress stronghold, which was even represented by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao in 1996. Congress heavyweight Jayanti Patnaik was elected from the seat in 1998. The grand old party has won the seat nine times after the seat was came to existence in 1971 . Anadi Charan Sahu of BJP had won the seat in 1999 while BJD candidates have won it three consecutive times since 2009.
