NUAPADA: In a significant development ahead of the upcoming Nuapada by-election, leaders of various tribal communities on Friday resolved to extend their unanimous support to Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Snehangini Chhuria. The decision, announced at a meeting held in Tanwat, is expected to shift the electoral dynamics in the tribal-dominated Assembly constituency.
The meeting was presided over by tribal leader Bihari Lal Biswal and attended by Rajya Sabha member Niranjan Bishi along with representatives of several Adivasi organisations. Accusing the BJP government of being anti-tribal, the leaders claimed the ANWESHA Urban Education Programme for ST and SC students has been discontinued. Similarly, implementation of the Forest Rights Act has been halted while the government has withdrawn financial assistance to ST/SC students pursuing GNM and BSc Nursing courses, they alleged.
The Adivasi leaders also alleged that mining leases are being granted without the consent of Gram Sabhas and NOCs from panchayats, leading to displacement and loss of livelihood of tribal families.
Biswal said, “Such policies reflect the anti-ST/SC attitude of the BJP government in the state, which stands against the constitutional spirit of social justice and inclusive development. Our communities cannot vote for a party that consistently neglects our rights and welfare. Hence, we have decided to support the BJD candidate in the by-election.”
The tribal leaders hailed former chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik’s initiatives including the formation of special development council for STs, Mission Shakti, KALIA yojana, and other empowerment programmes for tribal youths and women, as examples of inclusive governance.
The meeting also welcomed the reinstatement of Zilla Adivasi Kalyan Sangha president Bhanu Pratap Singh Majhi whose return to the BJD fold has boosted the morale of tribal communities in the region. The meeting concluded with a resolution pledging wholehearted support to Chhuria and a commitment to ensure her victory in the by-election.
Sources said this announcement is likely to come as a setback for Congress candidate Ghasiram Majhi, himself a prominent tribal leader, who was banking on Adivasi support to consolidate his position in the constituency.
