KENDRAPARA:  The BJD and Congress are expected to see a neck-and-neck battle in the ensuing Assembly elections in Rajnagar constituency. The Congress, which has the record for holding the seat for longest time, is sensing an opportunity to defeat BJD this time also. In 2014, sitting MLA Ansuman Mohanty was elected from Rajnagar defeating BJD candidate Dhruba Charan Sahoo by 5,613 votes. Ansuman’s father Nalinikanta Mohanty created a record by winning from Rajnagar eight times in a row from 1977 to 2004. But in 2009, Nalinikanta tasted defeat at the hand of BJD candidate Alekha Jena by a slender margin of 4,335 votes. 

However, BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik decided against re-nominating Jena and instead picked Sahoo for the seat in 2014 polls. But the ploy did not work as Mohanty snatched the seat defeating Sahoo by 5,613 votes. Mohanty got 75,234 votes while Sahu secured 69,621 votes. Later, dissident Jena joined BJP last year.

Political observers said another dissident Krutibas Patra is hell-bent on queering the pitch for BJD candidate Sahoo. Jena took up many development works in the constituency, but the BJD humiliated him by denying ticket at the last moment in 2014. As a result, Jena along with his supporters joined BJP, they added.

They said the coming Assembly poll in Rajnagar will be a testing ground for the popularity of the BJD, Jena and Mohanty. Mohanty has already upped the ante alleging lack of development works in the area due to wilful negligence of the ruling BJD Government. Mohanty said, “Rajnagar has bad roads, poor healthcare and lack of drinking water supply system. The ruling BJD has failed to take up developmental works in Rajnagar.” Sahoo, who is banking on the clean image of his party supremo, refuted the allegations of Mohanty.