BERHAMPUR: Continuing his trend of unexpected candidate selections, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday nominated Ranjita Sahu as the party’s candidate for the Aska Parliamentary constituency, stirring speculation and anticipation in Ganjam district.
This move reminds of Naveen’s 2019 general elections strategy when he chose Pramila Bisoyi, a non-political figure, into the limelight by nominating her as the MP candidate for Aska. Despite initial skepticism, Pramila’s victory and the vote tally in the constituency defied expectations, albeit with a slight decrease in BJD’s overall vote share.
Ranjita is a youth leader and daughter of Hara Prasad Sahu, BJD leader and former chairman of Kodala notified area council. Her mother Sunitaprava Sahu is also former chairperson of Kodala NAC.
Party sources said Ranjita has been active in Kabisuryanagar Assembly segment and heading Kabisurya Yubak Sangha.
However, Hara Prasad’s political ambitions clashed with that of late V. Sugnana Kumari Deo in the region. In 2014, he contested unsuccessfully as an independent contender from Kabisuryanagar Assembly segment against Deo.
After the demise of Deo, the BJD picked Ranjita for Aska which comprises seven assembly segments including Naveen’s home turf Hinjili, Polasara, Kabisuryanagar, Khallikote, Aska, Surada and Sanakhemundi.
Aska was considered a Congress and CPI bastion till Biju Patnaik’s foray into the constituency in 1996 from Janata Dal. After his demise, Naveen achieved subsequent victories, consolidating BJD’s dominance.
However he quit the Parliamentary seat to take the reign of the state and selected Hinjili assembly segment and has been representing it since then.
On the other hand, BJP has seen an incremental growth in vote share with its candidate Anita Subhadarshini giving a good fight to Pramila in 2019. Daughter of late Ramakrushna Patnaik, a veteran leader of the erstwhile Janata Dal, BJD and BJP, she will once again represent the saffron party’s aspirations for Aska Lok Sabha seat and take on BJD’s Ranjita, though the Congress is yet to announce its candidate. Anita is a post graduate in political science with a bachelor’s degree in law.