Odisha: Congress’s popularity to be put to test in byelection

BHUBANESWAR: Trying to revive under the new leadership of Sarat Pattanayak, who was appointed as the president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) in May, the Congress will be put to test in the ensuing Dhamnagar and Padampur bypolls.
While Dhamnagar bypoll is scheduled on November 3, the election commission has not announced the date of Padampur byelection, which may be held in December. Out of power since 2000, the Congress has been struggling to make a mark in the state. Frequent infighting, indiscipline and lack of leadership at the grassroots has left the Congress in a spot.
Notwithstanding a crushing defeat in the May 31 Brajarajnagar bypoll, the Congress appeared buoyant as the party finished second by pushing the BJP to the third place.
The Congress also bucked the disturbing trend where their candidates had been losing security deposits in the previous four byelections held after the 2019 general polls.
Bijepur went to the bypoll on October 21, 2019 whereas the byelections to Balasore Sadar and Tirtol assembly constituencies were held on November 3, 2020. The Pipili bypoll was conducted on September 30, 2021. The Congress had not only faced humiliating defeats in the bypolls, but also witnessed its candidates securing third position and forfeiting their deposits.
Sarat Pattanayak, who was appointed as the OPCC president just eight days before the Brajarajnagar polling, exudes confidence about good performance in Dhamnagar and Padampur by-elections. “We have initially started our ground work for Dhamnagar as the date for Padampur has not been announced. Our candidate will be finalized soon,” Pattanayak said.
In the 2019 general elections, Congress nominee Bidyadhar Jena bagged only 7,303 votes (4% of the total votes) in Dhamnagar and lost his security deposit. The Congress stood third in Padampur where its candidate Satya Bhusan Sahu secured only 32,787 votes (16.25%) of the total votes polled.
“The Congress should put their best foot forward to improve its performance and increase its vote share, let alone victories in Dhamnagar and Padampur. Their performance will set the tone of their roadmap for the 2024 elections,” said S K Padhi, a political analyst.