Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik. (File photograph/PTI)
These two constituencies are Hinjli within the Ganjam district of southern Odisha and Kantabanji within the Balangir district within the western a part of the state. Patnaik contesting from Kantabanji is anticipated to have a ripple impact in the entire of western Odisha
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik who’s aiming for his sixth consecutive time period will contest from two meeting constituencies within the upcoming elections. These two constituencies are Hinjli within the Ganjam district of southern Odisha and Kantabanji within the Balangir district within the western a part of the state. This can be a repeat of the Biju Janata Dal’s 2019 technique when the chief minister had contested from two meeting constituencies: Hinjili, which is his residence turf, and Bijepur within the Bargarh district in western Odisha.
In a video message, CM Patnaik declared the names of the candidates within the BJD’s fifth checklist together with his personal with a ‘namaskar’ and a ‘juhar’, the latter geared toward greeting the voters of western Odisha. Within the 1 min 30 sec video, the chief minister reeled out the names of the candidates: “Smt Laxmi Priya Nayak from Chitrakonda, Shri Naveen Patnaik from Kantabanji, Smt Vashra Singh Bariha from Padampur, Shri Rajendra Kumar Satya from Kuchinda, Smt Arundhati Kumari Devi from Deogarh, Smt Sanjukta Singh from Angul, Shri Dilip Kumar Naik from Nimapada, Ms Sulakshana Gitanjali Devi from Sanakhemundi, Dr Indira Nanda from Jeypore. Together with this, there was a change within the candidates of Sambalpur and Rairakhol with Shri Rohit Pujari from Sambalpur and Shri Prasanna Acharya from Rairakhol.” The BJD is once more counting on its star campaigner and celebration president Naveen Patnaik to spice up its efficiency within the western area of Odisha.
In 2019, contesting from Hinjili and Bijepur, Patnaik received each handsomely and retained Hinjli. Subsequently, he vacated the Bijepur meeting constituency, which the BJD’s candidate Rita Sahu received by a report margin within the ensuing by-election. Nevertheless, within the Lok Sabha elections, as Odisha went for simultaneous polls, BJP’s Suresh Pujari received the Bargarh parliamentary seat.
Actually, the BJD which received 12 of the 21 seats, fared poorly in western Odisha with 5 of the eight Lok Sabha wins for the BJP — Bargarh, Balangir, Sambalpur, Kalahandi, and Sundergarh — coming from western Odisha. Within the meeting elections, the BJP has emerged because the quantity two celebration in western Odisha. The BJD is replaying its 2019 technique and taking part in the ‘Naveen card’ in an try and stem any additional losses within the area. Patnaik contesting from Kantabanji is anticipated to have a ripple impact in the entire of western Odisha.
Moreover, the BJD has fielded its basic secretary (organisation) Pranab Prakash Nanda from Sambalpur the place he’s pitted towards union schooling minister Dharmendra Pradhan from the BJP. In 2019, the BJP’s Nitesh Ganga Deb wrested the seat from the BJD, defeating Nalini Kanta Pradhan by somewhat over 9,000 votes. Pranab Prakash Das is a three-time MLA from Jajpur in coastal Odisha and whereas political analysts are sceptical concerning the BJD fielding a candidate from coastal Odisha within the western a part of the state, the celebration believes that it’s sending a robust sign that it’s equally dedicated to the area by fielding its high faces from western Odisha, which now consists of Naveen Patnaik.
In January, chief minister Patnaik inaugurated the Maa Samalei Temple undertaking, dedicating the redeveloped temple premises which, in a primary, included a Mahanadi Aarti, to devotees. Maa Samaleshwari, or Maa Samalei as she is popularly identified, is the presiding deity of the entire of western Odisha. Equally, the BJD authorities devoted the much-awaited Suktel dam undertaking to the folks of the drought-prone western components.
Within the upcoming elections within the meeting constituency of Kantabanji, Patnaik will likely be up towards Santosh Singh Saluja of the Congress who’s a four-time MLA from the seat, and Laxman Bag of the BJP. In 2019, the BJP misplaced this constituency to Saluja by lower than 200 votes and the BJD was within the third place. The BJD hopes that Patnaik getting into the fray right here can be a recreation changer not only for Kantabanji but in addition for western Odisha. The technique is to stall the BJP’s development and increase the celebration’s efficiency within the western belt, not simply within the meeting constituencies but in addition within the Lok Sabha seats right here.
Naveen Patnaik will likely be contesting for the sixth consecutive time from Hinjili within the Aska Lok Sabha constituency and is anticipated to win from right here. Odisha will go for simultaneous polls in 4 phases on Might 13, 20, and 25, June 1. Hinjili and Kantabanji will vote on Might 20. Odisha has 147 meeting and 21 Lok Sabha constituencies.
