Odisha’s Silk city and its two turncoats to battle it out this Lok Sabha election

Berhampur, This southern Odisha city in Ganjam district which is often known as the silk metropolis of Odisha will witness a battle between two turncoats within the Lok Sabha elections. The ruling Biju Janata Dal headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has fielded Bhrugu Baxipatra, who until final week was vice chairman of the BJP Odisha unit whereas the BJP has put up Pradeep Panigrahy, who was expelled from the BJD, as its nominee for the Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency.

Panigrahpy, a three-time MLA from Gopalpur Meeting constituency was as soon as an in depth aide of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and even taken care of the Ganjam district affairs of the regional get together, earlier than being expelled from the BJD.

The Congress has fielded Rashmi Ranjan Patnaik for the Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency.

The Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency was as soon as a powerful citadel of the Congress and even Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao had gained the Berhampur Lok Seat seat within the 1996 elections.

Ganjam district has been a BJD bastion since 2009. The district can also be the house district to Naveen Patnaik’s Meeting constituency, Hinjili. BJD has gained 12 of the 13 Meeting seats within the district in 2019 elections.

The combat for the Berhampur Lok Sabha seat shall be primarily between two turncoats Bhrugu Baxipatra of BJD and Pradeep Panigrahy of the BJP although the Congress nominee can also be within the fray.

Panigrahy was expelled from the BJD on cost of “anti-people actions” and was additionally arrested on alleged corruption instances by the Naveen Patnaik authorities.

The BJP candidate in his public conferences is telling the folks ‘Etha ra Leka Chhi Da e Deba’ (This time will finish the chapter). The Gopalpur MLA is asking the citizens the tip their inclination in the direction of Naveen Patnaik, who he accused of working the federal government via outsourcing method.

Panigarhy can also be making an attempt to invoke Ganjam sentiment among the many folks as his rival Baxipatra’s actions have been largely confined to the neighbouring Rayagada district earlier than shifting to Ganjam in 2019.

To defeat Panigrahy, BJD has picked up BJP’s former Berhampur nominee Baxipatra with the only real intention of capturing a sure portion of saffron votes. Each events are combating onerous to win the Berhampur Lok Sabha seat, which is taken into account the gateway to southern Odisha.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s shut aide and BJD chief VK Pandian in a gathering in Bhubaneswar on Sunday appealed to folks to vote for the Conch image of the regional get together.

“Please don’t see who’s a candidate. The chief minister is contesting in all of the 147 meeting seats and 21 Lok Sabha constituencies,” Pandian mentioned interesting to folks to take a look at Patnaik and Conch image alone whereas going to vote.

Within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections BJD candidate Chandrasekhar Sahu had gained the Berhampur Lok Sabha by 94,000 votes defeating his BJP opponent Bhrugu Baxipatra.

Aside from voters, the get together employees of each the political events on the grassroots stage additionally appear to be confused. “Now we have to marketing campaign for the candidate whom we had strongly opposed final time (2019 LS election),” mentioned a BJD employee from Ganjam district.

The seven Meeting constituencies below the Berhampur Lok Sabha seat are – Chhatrapur, Gopalpur, Berhampur, Digapandi and Chikita in Ganjam district and Mohana and Parlakhemundi in neighbouring Gajapati district. Of the seven, 5 seats in Ganjam district are held by the ruling BJD whereas Mohana and Parlakhemundi are represented by Congress and BJP respectively within the Meeting.

Berhampur Lok Sabha seat will go to polls together with three different Lok Sabha constituencies Nabarangpur, Koraput and Kalahandi on Could 13.