Odisha Assembly polls: BJD, BJP direct fight for Bargarh seat

Congress has nominated Nipon Dash from the constituency after denying ticket to former Bargarh MLA Sadhu Nepak. Considered a novice in politics, Nipon is unlikely to pose a threat to his rival.
Electronic Voting Machines inside a polling station. (File photo| EPS)
Electronic Voting Machines inside a polling station. (File photo| EPS)

BARGARH: A direct fight between BJD and BJP is on the cards in Bargarh Assembly seat.With Congress fielding a relatively weak candidate for the seat, sitting MLA and BJD candidate Debesh Acharya will lock horns with BJP’s Ashwini Kumar Sarangi. Congress has nominated Nipon Dash from the constituency after denying ticket to former Bargarh MLA Sadhu Nepak. Considered a novice in politics, Nipon is unlikely to pose a significant threat to his rivals.

Debesh, who is known for maintaining good public relations, is highlighting the clean image of Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik besides various developmental works undertaken during his stint as Bargarh MLA. However, he is likely to face a tough fight from  State BJP vice-president Ashwini.
The saffron party candidate enjoys good rapport with people of the constituency and is trying to woo the voters by raking up issues like a failure of the BJD Government and highlighting the development works undertaken by the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre.

An advocate by profession, Nipon is raking up issues like overall development of Bargarh town to woo the urban voters besides farm loan waiver and Minimum Support Price of `2,600 per quintal of paddy in rural pockets of the constituency. However, in the absence of a strong base in the segment, he will depend on Congress’ pocket votes.

The Bargarh Assembly segment will go to polls in the second phase on April 18. Debesh was elected from the seat in the 2014 elections after defeating Sadhu Nepak of Congress by a margin of 13,204 votes. In 2009, Congress candidate Sadhu had defeated Debesh’s father Ananda Acharya, who had contested on a BJD ticket. While some sections of Bargarh segment support BJD as various developmental works and welfare measures have been undertaken during the ruling party’s regime, there are some who support BJP for the development works undertaken by PM Narendra Modi. Political observers feel the fight for the segment would have been triangular had Congress nominated Sadhu Nepak. Since Sadhu joined BJD, his support will help the BJD candidate, they said.

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