NAC polls litmus test for  Chhuria, State BJP chief

SAMBALPUR: With elections to Attabira, Nuapada and Hindol NACs slated for April 3, a fresh round of confrontation between arch rivals BJD and BJP is on the cards. The polls are being considered as warm-up matches for Handloom Minister and Attabira MLA Snehangini Chhuria and State BJP president and Nuapada legislator Basanta Panda before the 2019 General Elections. Ironically, both had failed to form the council for their respective parties in the last polls in 2013. While Congress had formed the council in Attabira and Nuapada, the party’s elected representatives in the latter shifted their loyalties to BJD after about three years.

In the first ever election to Attabira NAC, both the BJD and Congress had shared six Wards each in the 12-member council. But since the post of Chairperson was reserved for SC (Woman) and BJD did not have any candidate from the category, Congress took over the reins of the NAC. However, a lot has changed since then. While Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mahapatra, who campaigned for the party candidates intensively, is no more, the stature of Chhuria as a Minister has also gone up and the support base of BJD increased manifold. 

Even though the BJD led by Chhuria managed to win in just one out of four Zones under Attabira block in the last panchayat elections, political analyst feel that it was more due to intra-party squabble. Similarly, the first election to Nuapada NAC saw Congress win in seven out of 14 Wards while BJD candidates won in four. The BJP had to be satisfied with wins in three Wards. Sudeshna Suraj of Congress was elected as Chairperson of the NAC.

However, after about two and half years following a no-confidence motion against Suraj, Lileswari Majhi was elected as the Chairperson. Six months later, Lileswari and Vice-Chairman of Nuapada NAC Mahesh Nial along with three councillors joined the BJD. All eyes are now on State BJP chief Panda who is a resident of Ward 5 of Nuapada NAC.

Despite his presence, the BJP had performed miserably in the rural polls. The party had failed to open account in the 14-member Zilla Parishad even though two Assembly segments in the district - Nuapada and Khariar - are being represented by BJP MLAs. Political observers strongly believe that the outcome of NAC elections will be crucial for Panda to retain his supremacy in Nuapada Assembly segment ahead of 2019 General elections.