BERHAMPUR: In a significant development, the political scenario in Rayagada district has taken a new turn with the return of senior leader and former union minister Giridhar Gamang to the Congress party.
Despite being part of the KBK region, Rayagada boasts politically conscious voters, with a notable majority of female voters. As per latest voter list, the district has a total of 7,04,503 including 3,72,474 female voters in its three assembly segments.
The district’s economic challenges, despite having three large-scale industries, as highlighted in a 2023 Niti Aayog report, add complexity to the unfolding political dynamics. All major political parties are supporting establishment of new industries even when the voters are not equally upbeat.
Rayagada, once a stronghold of Congress, has been under the control of BJD since 2000. However due to acute factionalism in the party, the BJD lost the Rayagada segment to independent candidate in the last election though the party managed to win from Bissam Cuttack and Gunupur segments. However, people’s hopes on the independent candidate got shattered now as public problems remained unsolved.
BJD, despite its historical stronghold, grapples with internal factionalism, creating a multi-factional scenario in the party unit. This internal strife may influence candidate selection, potentially favouring new faces in all three segments.
Veteran BJD leader and former Rajya Sabha member N Bhaskar Rao was the district unit supremo till last urban body poll. However, many staunch supporters of Rao separated from him and formed their own group headed by district BJD president Sudhir Das. On the other hand, a grassroots BJD worker and once close aide of Rao, Yalla Konda Babu started his own faction.
However, Bhaskar Rao ruled out any factionalism in the party and said that he performed the duty that was assigned to him by party top brass.
Though the BJP with substantial supporters has an edge over the grand old party, the return of Giridhar Gamang and his family adds strength to the party and a new dimension to the political equation. With Giridhar, a former union minister, and his wife Hema, a former MP, the Gamang family’s potential claim for party tickets in the upcoming elections becomes a focal point for both the party and political analysts.