Triangular contest on the cards in Mahanga Assembly constituency

Surjit Kumar Dhal,Cuttack, April 25: The prestigious Mahanga Assembly constituency, which is going to the polls in third phase elections on April 29, is all set to witness a triangular fight among BJD, BJP and Congress although as many as 10 candidates are in the fray for the seat under the Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency.

                BJD has nominated sitting MLA Health minister Pratap Jena to contest from the seat for 2019 Assembly polls. Jena had won the segment twice consecutively in 2009 and 2014.

                While Congress has fielded a new face Debendra Sahu, the BJP has nominated Sarada Pradhan to contest from the constituency.

                Pradhan who had contested from the seat as an independent candidate in 2014 Assembly elections was placed in second position at that time.

                While Jena had secured 89,531 votes, Pradhan was able to bag 61,657 votes there by registering the vote percentage at 49.34 and 33.98 respectively.

           Congress candidate Sk. Matlub Alli and BJP candidate Samir Kumar Samal had got 22,297 and 3,572 votes respectively.

Though the nominees of BJD, BJP and Congress have intensified their campaign, all the three candidates are facing dissent from their own rank and files in the segment.

           Though the ruling BJD is ahead in campaigning in the constituency, its nominee Jena has been facing the problems of growing dissidents and is apprehensive of the anti-incumbency factor.

The infighting among the party activists is also a cause of worry for Jena who is trying his best to settle quarrels among BJD activists with an aim to make hat-trick this time even though the Mahanga Assembly constituency has never returned one candidate consecutively for three terms.

        Exuding confidence about victory Jena says that there is no dissension and infighting within BJD in Mahanga.

“All internal dispute and issue have already been resolved and the BJD workers are making united effort for party’s victory,” said Jena adding that the BJD would retain Mahanga segment this time also.

         The position of saffron party is also not so comfortable in Mahanga.

The BJP has given ticket to Sarada Pradhan by ignoring the claims of many BJP leaders who were earlier managing the party activities in the constituency.

Many BJP activists like Choudhury Pravat Keshari Mishra, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2009 Assembly polls from Mahanga, are reluctant to accept Pradhan’s candidature. Mishra was in the race for party ticket to contest from the seat this time.

                However, Pradhan assertes that he was working for the party and had never lobbied for ticket.

“When I joined BJP, I had made it clear that I would support BJP nominee in 2019 polls. The party leadership has chosen me voluntarily. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity would fetch votes and bring victory for me,” said Pradhan.

                Similarly, Congress nominee Debendra Sahu is also facing non-cooperation from the supporters of former minister Sheikh Matlub Alli, who had unsuccessfully contested in 2014.

Ali’s many supporters, who believe that Sahu had not supported the former minister whole-heartedly in 2014 polls, have left congress and joined either BJD or BJP. The congress workers loyal to Ali may create problem for Sahu, said a political observer.

Sahu claimed that there would be no impact of Ali’s dissent on his electioneering as the Congress workers have been united to wrest the seat from BJD there by ousting the outsider.

“I am receiving overwhelming support not only from Congress workers but also from the common people who are going select the candidature on the basis of candidate’s personality. People’s loving and blessing would help me in winning the election,”said Sahu.