Naveen Patnaik 'considering' contesting from western Odisha
Sujit kumar bisoyi, Ashok Pradhan | TNN | Mar 18, 2019, 09:17 IST
Naveen Patnaik, Odisha CMBHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday announced that he is "seriously considering" contesting the assembly election from a seat in western Odisha. This is being widely perceived as a well-crafted strategy by the regional satrap to counter the perceived saffron surge in the region.
"Farmers, women and students have requested me to contest from western Odisha. I have been seriously considering this," Naveen told reporters outside his residence after meeting scores of BJD leaders and workers from the western Odisha districts.
BJD insiders said the CM is likely to contest from Bijepur in Bargarh district - which had witnessed a high-voltage campaign by the ruling party and and BJP for a by-election in 2018 - apart from his own constituency Hinjili. BJD's Rita Sahu, who had defeated the BJP nominee by a margin of around 42,000 votes, is among those who have requested Naveen to contest from Bijepur.
Calling it a masterstroke by Naveen, Amareshwar Mishra, a retired professor of political science, said, "The move may help sway voters in BJD's favour in the region where BJP was seen gaining ground. Because of the distance from the power centre in the state capital, people in the region have always felt neglected. What more can they ask for if the CM directly represents them." The region has 37 assembly seats.
After the 2017 panchayat election, the BJP has made strong inroads in western Odisha. Of the 11 western Odisha districts, the BJP has formed Zilla Parishads in eight following the 2017 poll. Of its 10 MLAs in the outgoing assembly, eight are from western Odisha. Of the five LS seats in the region, BJP had won in one seat and finished second in the rest in 2014.
Apart from BJP's emergence, Congress has been primarily concentrating on the western districts, which share a boundary with Chhattisgarh, after the Grand Old Party won the 2018 assembly poll in the neighbouring state.
"Farmers, women and students have requested me to contest from western Odisha. I have been seriously considering this," Naveen told reporters outside his residence after meeting scores of BJD leaders and workers from the western Odisha districts.
BJD insiders said the CM is likely to contest from Bijepur in Bargarh district - which had witnessed a high-voltage campaign by the ruling party and and BJP for a by-election in 2018 - apart from his own constituency Hinjili. BJD's Rita Sahu, who had defeated the BJP nominee by a margin of around 42,000 votes, is among those who have requested Naveen to contest from Bijepur.
Calling it a masterstroke by Naveen, Amareshwar Mishra, a retired professor of political science, said, "The move may help sway voters in BJD's favour in the region where BJP was seen gaining ground. Because of the distance from the power centre in the state capital, people in the region have always felt neglected. What more can they ask for if the CM directly represents them." The region has 37 assembly seats.
After the 2017 panchayat election, the BJP has made strong inroads in western Odisha. Of the 11 western Odisha districts, the BJP has formed Zilla Parishads in eight following the 2017 poll. Of its 10 MLAs in the outgoing assembly, eight are from western Odisha. Of the five LS seats in the region, BJP had won in one seat and finished second in the rest in 2014.
Apart from BJP's emergence, Congress has been primarily concentrating on the western districts, which share a boundary with Chhattisgarh, after the Grand Old Party won the 2018 assembly poll in the neighbouring state.
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