With rebel candidates becoming a constant headache for the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for the upcoming civic polls in the State, the party is presently having a tough time pacifying the disgruntled candidates.
The conch party is facing the heat from rebel candidates not only in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Berhampur municipal corporations but they have emerged as potential threats to the party prospects in all the 106 municipalities. The brewing of resentment among the rebel candidates has reached to such a level that observers have started saying that in the poll war, the BJD is fighting within, instead of its rivals.
In Balasore municipality, Umarani Acharya is contesting from Ward no-13 independently. Her husband had joined the party three years ago, hoping to get a ticket. When it didn’t pan out as hoped, he fielded his wife as an independent candidate.
Similarly, two time councillor from Ward no-7, Sushant Sahu had joined the party at the time of by-elections with a hope to get a party ticket. After he was denied a ticket, he fielded his wife as an independent candidate. In Ward nos 12, 18 and 23, several rebel candidates are in the fray as independent.
In Jeypore municipality, the situation is not different either. Since the party has fielded Manas Mohapatra as a councillor from Ward no- 24, Meenakshi Nayak, the BJD District Women general secretary, who was an aspirant, is contesting the election independently.
In G Udaygiri of Kandhamal district, BJD general secretary and former NAC chairman Sanjeeb Patra is contesting the election as an independent candidate whereas his wife Mitarani has filed nomination for the chairperson post.
In Bargarh, the party has fielded Kalpana Majhi for chairperson’s post. And disgruntled Mami Mishra has locked horns with Majhi as an independent candidate.
“I waited for the party ticket till the last moment. When that didn’t happen, our supporters asked me to contest as an independent candidate. So I am now in the poll arena,” said Umarani Acharya.
Giving expression to her dissatisfaction, Mami Mishra said she was sure to get the party ticket. “At the last moment, I came to know that I had been excluded,” said Mishra.
In this regard, Bargarh MLA (BJD) Debesh Acharya said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had taken the final call on the final list of candidates. The selection was made without deviating from the party’s principles.
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties—Congress and BJP—are trying to fish in the troubled water. They are of the opinion that the educated voters will go against the ruling party.
“The discontentment within the BJD will prove detrimental for the party prospects. The educated voters in towns and cities will vote against the BJD for a change,” said senior Congress leader and MLA Tara Prasad Bahanipati.
“There is no denying that the BJD is struggling with dissidents within the party. The town denizens are educated and are dissatisfied for various reasons which will be reflected in this urban local body elections,” said State President of BJP OBC Morcha Surath Biswal.
On the other hand, the BJD says party observers have already been entrusted with the task of finding a solution to the problem and is hopeful that people will take the developmental activities into consideration while exercising their franchise.
“At some places, dissatisfied aspirants have filed nominations as independent candidates. But, they are few and far between. Our observers are on the job to pacify them. The picture will get clearer after the withdrawal of nominations,” said BJD MLA Debi Prasad Mishra.
March 14 is the last day for withdrawal of nominations.