Bhubaneswar: Why Kantabanji? Naveen Patnaik’s choice to vie for this assembly seat in Balangir district, in addition to his stronghold of Hinjili in Ganjam district, appears to be a strategically calculated decision. It comes at a crucial juncture as the forthcoming dual elections in the state are anticipated to pose significant challenges for the Biju Janata Dal.
The western regions of Odisha, comprising of 5 Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 assembly segments, present a potential challenge for the ruling BJD if not managed adeptly. Opposition parties, particularly the BJP, have established a significant presence in this area. In the 2019 elections, the BJP clinched all five Lok Sabha seats—Kalahandi, Balangir, Sambalpur, Bargarh, and Sundargarh—and secured eight assembly seats. Although the Congress’ influence has waned over time, it still retains considerable sway and secured four assembly seats (Khariar, Kantabanji, Balangir, and Rajgangpur) in the western districts. Despite the BJD’s sweeping victories in the 2022 panchayat and municipal polls, the party cannot afford complacency in the upcoming 2024 elections, given noticeable discontent in certain constituencies. Naveen Patnaik’s entry into the fray, reminiscent of his successful bid in Bijepur in 2019, where he ensured the BJD secured 22 MLAs from the region, could compel rival parties to fiercely contest for every vote in the western belt.
“Neither Kantabanji nor the Balangir Lok Sabha seat is a BJD stronghold. CM has perhaps chosen the seat precisely for boosting the performance of BJD in an area where the party didn’t perform well in 2019” writes Senior Journalist Soumyajeet Pattnaik.
“By choosing to contest from an area where the Opposition is relatively stronger, CM may be trying to convey a message to BJD leaders & workers to fight against all adverse situations while attaching prime importance to party interests. CM’s candidature from Kantabanji is likely to boost the morale of BJD leaders & workers across western Odisha” he added.
