Indisposition worry for BJD

KENDRAPARA/JAGATSINGHPUR: With little over 10 days remaining for the polls in the crucial coastal districts of Kendrapara and Jagastsinghpur, the BJD seems to have been left dealing with serious illness of two of its seniormost leaders.

Sitting MLA and party candidate from Patkura Assembly seat Bed Prakash Agrawalla is battling for life in a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. The 84-year-old former minister and State Planning Board deputy chairman, who was to take on senior BJP leader and Naveen’s bête noire Bijay Mohapatra, has been admitted to the ICU and reportedly put under life-support system.

Bed Prakash’s candidature, in fact, had raised eyebrows as he was seriously ill and under treatment since last month. His wife had approached Naveen Patnaik to give party ticket to Sanjay Agrawalla (54) from Patkura but the party supremo did not relent. Compelled to file nomination papers, Bed Prakash could not even climb the stairs of the Collector’s office. Three days after nomination, he was shifted to the hospital in the State Capital.

The BJD campaigning in the crucial seat has thus been seriously impeded with the wife, son and daughter having to switch their time from canvassing on his behalf and attending to him in the hospital.

While political observers deem it to be a setback for the BJD, the party workers are expressing commitment to not let the situation affect them. A BJD leader of Patkura, Utkal Keshari Parida said, “Bed Prakash is seriously ill. But BJP and Congress candidates cannot take any benefit from the situation as we are vigorously campaigning for him.”

The opposition BJP on the other hand is making hay of the development.  “Bijay Mohapatra has made a dent in the BJD bastion due to Bed Prakash’s absence. There is a flight of leaders from the party. Senior BJD leader and chairman of Derabishi block Saraj Sahoo and many other leaders and supporters have joined BJP. More are likely to desert soon”, said Ganesh Samal, a BJP leader of Patkura.

In the neighbouring district and at another crucial seat of Tirtol, the BJD faces the same predicament with senior leader and candidate Bishnu Das also virtually indisposed. The former Rajya Sabha member is stated to be seriously ill and moving in and out of a hospital in Bhubaneswar to be on the ground campaigning.

His deteriorating health condition has left the BJD leaders and workers in the Assembly segment a worried lot as the electioneering has not yet gathered momentum. While his son Bijay Sankar Das, relatives and aides are trying to fill in for his absence, the voters are not accepting them.

The health issues of Das has also seeded doubts in the minds of voters, even the committed party faithfuls. As the BJP and Congress have stepped up efforts to turn the situation to their advantage, voters too are beginning to examine the alternatives.

A voter, Snehansu Jena from Redhua said,  “Das is yet to start his campaign in  earnest while the BJP candidate Ramakant Bhoi has intensified door to door campaigning, touching voters individually in eight to 10 times in Biridi, Raghunathpur and Tirtol blocks of the constituency. The youth voters are being swayed and making up their mind to vote in favour of the young, healthy and sporting candidate, who will be able to resolve their issues.”