Patkura: End of Road for Bijoy Mahapatra’s Political Journey?

Bhubaneswar: The election results for the Patkura assembly constituency will bring in more cheer to the ruling party as ground reports suggest that the people have voted for the Biju Janata Dal in huge numbers.

The charismatic leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and the development programs undertaken by the government have been the basis on which the people have voted.

The delayed elections saw a bi-polar fight between Biju Janata Dal candidate Sabitri Agarwalla and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Bijoy Mahapatra. Though the Congress fielded Jayant Mahanty from Patkura, his campaigning was a no show.

Patkura Assembly Constituency under the Kendrapada Lok Sabha Constituency has been a strong base for the Biju Janata Dal for the last many years. BJD’s senior leader Bedprakash Agwarwalla had won from the constituency twice and senior leader Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak also represented it once.

After the untimely death of Bedprakash, the party decided to field his wife Sabitri from this constituency keeping in mind the demands of the people.

The BJD is expected to prove a good show in Patkura as the people had given a thumbs up to Bedprakash. This time the sympathy of his death is also with Sabitri, who intends to carry on the legacy of her late husband.

The Chief Ministers assurance to the people of Patkura that he will personally see the development of the constituency has been appreciated by the people. On the other hand, the government schemes such as KALIA and Biju Krushak Kalyana Yojana along with the self help group movement are going to help the BJD in a larger way. People are really happy with the schemes.

On the contrary, Bijoy Mahapatra is being unconvincingly promoted by the saffron party as he has been discarded by the people of his constituency and also in Kendrapara district. Though Bijoy Mahapatra once had a good following in the area now his popularity has diminished.

The BJP, which lost all the six assembly segments that went for polling in the last elections, will again see a defeat in Patkura.

Political pundits are of the opinion that it will be very difficult for the BJP to win the Patkura seat as Bijoy Mahapatra is just fighting for prestige. Some also question Mahapatra’s joining the BJP.