May 24th 2024.
Bhubaneswar is abuzz with excitement as the Lok Sabha elections draw near. The people of this vibrant city are gearing up to cast their votes and make their voices heard. One of the most closely watched constituencies in this election is Bhubaneswar, and the key to victory lies in the hands of the Paika community and the slum dwellers.
The Paika community, with a significant number of voters in Khurda, Begunia, and Jatni Assembly segments, holds great importance in the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency. Originally a class of military retainers, the Paikas have been serving the kings of Odisha since the 16th century. In return for their martial services, they were granted hereditary rent-free land and titles. Today, they are a crucial factor in the upcoming elections.
Along with the Paikas, the slum dwellers also play a vital role in the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency. With more than 50,000 voters residing in three Assembly segments - Bhubaneswar Central, Bhubaneswar North, and Ekamra-Bhubaneswar - these citizens hold the power to sway the election results. In the past, Bhubaneswar has recorded low polling percentages, making the slum dwellers a deciding factor in at least three Assembly segments.
The battle for the prestigious Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat is being fought between two prominent candidates - former IAS officer and sitting BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi and BJD candidate Manmath Routray. Both parties are confident of victory, claiming to have done significant developmental work in the constituency. The Congress has also thrown its hat in the ring, with its Odisha student wing chief, Yasir Nawaz, contesting from Bhubaneswar.
Manmath Routray, a pilot by profession, has resigned from his job to contest against Sarangi. He hails from the Paika community and has the support of his father, Suresh Routray, a six-time Congress MLA from the Jatni Assembly segment. Suresh Routray, who was expelled from the Congress, is now campaigning for his son.
When asked about his campaign, Manmath Routray said he is showcasing the work done by the BJD government in the constituency. The state government has undertaken various developmental projects such as constructing roads, parks, bridges, and providing water supply and land ownership to slum dwellers. Routray is confident that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will be sworn in for the sixth term and he will emerge victorious with a considerable margin.
The Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency has a history of electing candidates from the Paika community. In the past, Prasanna Patsani, a BJD leader, was elected four times from this seat. However, this time, he was denied a ticket, and Aparajita Sarangi emerged as the winner in the 2019 elections, defeating her BJD rival and former IPS officer Arup Patnaik by a margin of 28,839 votes.
With the elections heating up, both the BJD and BJP are conducting rallies in support of their candidates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President JP Nadda have conducted two roadshows in Bhubaneswar, while veteran Hindi movie actor Hema Malini, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla have also campaigned for Sarangi. On the other hand, BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, along with 5T chairman Kartik Pandian, have held roadshows and rallies to support party nominee Manmath Routray. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also addressed a rally in Bhubaneswar.
The Congress candidate, Yasir, has highlighted the need for basic amenities in the city, such as a ring road for the outskirts and proper drainage systems for rainwater. The seven Assembly segments under the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency are Jayadev, Bhubaneswar Central, Bhubaneswar North, Ekamra-Bhubaneswar, Jatani, Begunia, and Khurda. With a total of 16,68,225 voters, including 8,01,092 females, 8,66,563 males, and 570 transgenders, the fate of the candidates will be decided on May 25th, when the citizens exercise their right to vote.
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