Bjp Set To Open Account In Orissa

Will the Lotus finally bloom in the arid lands of western Orissa-infamous for child sale and hunger deaths in Kalahandi and Bolangir?

The groundswell of support for the Bharatiya Janata Party across all six parliamentary constituencies in this part of the state has thrown up the poser, as the Congress fights with its back to the wall to retain electoral supremacy here.

With prospects of the BJP winning a couple of seats-for the first time in the states history-looking bright, the Congress is mainly banking upon its traditional vote bank among the large scheduled caste and scheduled tribe population to maintain its dominant position.

 

But the fact that the tribals are no longer solidly behind the Congress due to the BJPs inroads into the ST/SC pockets has become a major cause of concern for the party. In 1996, the Congress won all seats in the region, except Kalahandi.

Unlike their southern brethren, who still swear by the Congress, the relatively more urbanised tribals of western Orissa appear to be in a mood for change. We have seen them all. Let us give BJP a chance, is the common refrain.

The increase in BJPs support in the area can be attributed to three factors- the geographical location, linguistic affinity to the Hindi heartland and the patronage the party has recieved from the erstwhile royal families of the region. Bordering Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, the region is swept by a pro-BJP wave emanating from across the state boundaries.

The language here is Koshali, a dialect largely influenced by Hindi, which helps the tribals identifywith the BJP.

Moreover, a growing feeling among the voters of neglect of the mineral-rich region has turned the mood against the establishment.

The feeling is that successive governments of the Congress and the Janata Dal have done little for the development of the area, so there is no harm in trying out the BJP now.

Sensing the mood, a separate Western Orissa Development Council was mooted by the Biju Patnaik government, which was pledged to be carried forward by the present J.B.Patnaik government. But the scheme is yet to take off, which is being held against the Congress.

What has added to the worries of the Congress is that virtually direct contest with the BJP have emerged in most seats in the area.

The Congress has always gained from the split in the opposition votes, but this time the scene is different due to the Janata Dal putting up weak candidates.

The grim prospects of Congress notwithstanding, Sonia Gandhis whirlwind tour of the region has boosted the morale of the cadre.

I have just come to see Sonia but not yet decided whether to vote for Congress or not, says a villager who trecked 10 km to attend her meeting at Jharsuguda.

BJP candidates in Bolangir and Kalahandi-Sangeeta Singh Deo and B.K.Deo respectively, both kins of erstwhile royal families-have established early leads while president of the state BJP Joel Oram and his predecessor Debendra Pradhan are giving sleepless nights to the Congress in Sundergarh and Deogarh respectively.

The Congress best bet is Sambalpur where the party is expected to retain the seat but in Phulbani it is locked in a fierce battle with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Outside the domain of western Orissa, in two other seats-Keonjhar and Dhenkanal-which also go to the polls on Sunday, the Congress holds a slight edge over the BJP and the BJD.

In Bolangir, Sundergarh, Deogarh and Keonjahr, on an average the BJP had polleed 26.72 per cent votes in 1996. A mere four per cent swing in its favour may land all these seats in its kitty, say the psephologists.