Odisha: Dhenkanal set for fierce BJD, BJP fight, Congress way behind
BHUBANESWAR: The Dhenkanal Lok Sabha constituency is set for a fierce contest between a veteran BJP leader and a political greenhorn.
While the saffron party has fielded two-time Rajya Sabha member Rudra Narayan Pany from the seat, BJD has nominated a new face Abinash Samal, a doctor by profession and from an influential political family of the district as its candidate. Congress has fielded Sashmita Behera, a senior leader and former president of Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress.
Dhenkanal is considered to be a BJD bastion as the party had won all seven Assembly segments under the Lok Sabha seat in 2019. The decision to field a new face from the constituency by dropping sitting MP Mahesh Sahoo has come as surprise move by the party. Sources in BJD pointed out that the reduced margin of victory of the candidate in 2019 may have led the party leadership to bring in a new face in the constituency considering the BJP’s aggressive pitch to wrest the seat.
BJP’s Pany is a veteran and has fought three electoral battles from the constituency but he has never succeeded. It was a close fight between BJD and BJP in 2019 with the regional party winning the seat by over 35,000 votes. Political observers maintain Samal will find it tough to retain the seat for BJD.
Speculations were rife that Sahoo will be fielded by BJD from an Assembly seat in the district to placate him but it has not happened yet. Sources maintain Abinash will have to depend heavily on the political clout of his uncle Sudhir Kumar Samal, who is BJD’s candidate from Dhenkanal Assembly seat. Besides, the organisational superiority of BJD is also likely to help Abinash in his maiden electoral venture.
Still the BJD candidate has a tough fight at hand as Pany’s vote share between 20014 and 2019 had increased by more than 1.5 lakh. As there is a general upsurge in BJP’s position across the country because of the Modi wave, the BJD has been extra careful about Dhenkanal. The seat always had a BJP support base, though the cumulative effect never translated into victory for the party’s candidates.
Congress was a late entrant to the fight. Sashmita, the party’s candidate is a former president of Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress and secretary of All India Congress Committee. She has some pockets of influence in one or two segments. Though Dhenkanal earlier was considered a safe seat for Congress as it had earlier been represented by leaders like KP Singh Deo, the party’s base has dwindled over the years.
Political observers believe the Lok Sabha seat will witness a direct fight between Pany and Samal. On pen and paper, the BJD seems to be comparatively stronger, but nothing can be said for sure.