Stiff fight between BJD, BJP in Keonjhar Lok Sabha seat

Surjit Kumar Dhal,Keonjhar, April 15 : A stiff fight is on cards in Keonjhar Lok Sabha constituency.

Although there are eight candidates in the fray, weak hold of congress has resulted in strong contest between the BJD and BJP in the 2019 polls.

The former Congress MP candidate and former Champua MLA Dharurjay Sidhu is the BJP MLA candidate in Telkoi while Congress’ former MP Madhab Sardar is the new BJD candidate for Keonjhar Assembly seat after quitting congress.

Many other congress leaders like Sanatan Mahakud, Jitu Pattnaik have left the congress party in the meantime and have joined BJD.

Mohan Hembram, a new face, is contesting as the Congress MP candidate while sitting Champua MLA Sanatan Mahakud has succeeded in getting one of his protégé Chandrani Murmu as the BJD candidate.

She is the granddaughter of former MP Harihar Soren but has just been enrolled in the party.

The BJD party workers have strong differences with Sanatan and yet to be introduced to their new MP candidate.

But they have to campaign for their party for the sake of their supremo Naveen Pattnaik.

MP ticket aspirants from the party are unable to digest their rejection in spite of working hard as disciplined party workers for years.

The BJP may take advantage of this situation.

Ananta Nayak, the BJP candidate contesting for the fifth time had served two terms as MP during the BJD-BJP alliance.

Former Congress leader Jaswant Singh Laguri and his wife Sakuntala Laguri had won on BJD ticket, after quitting Congress, in the last two terms.

But their inactiveness and involvement in corruption deprived them from the party ticket this time.

Claiming 40 developmental achievements starting from bringing railways and passenger trains to keonjhar, construction of National Highways, Central School, EPF Division Office during his term, Ananta is hoping to win this election with the favorable Modi wave in the country.

The image of Naveen Pattnaik and his popular welfare schemes is likely to attract voters to support the BJD candidate Ashish Chakraborty, claim BJD leaders.

Additionally, the millionaire Sanatan Mahakud who has created a pocket vote by paying monthly pension privately to thousands of families across the district that will add votes to the BJD vote bank.

National president Amit Shah and other national leaders are on election campaign in the district while Naveen Pattnaik himself is the star campaigner for his candidates.

In 2014 election Sakuntala Laguri from BJD had secured 434471 votes while Ananta Nayak (BJP) has got only 277184 votes.

As the Assembly and parliament election is being held simultaneously, the lead in assembly election in the seven Assembly segments will decide the success of the MP candidate.