Dynastic politics carries a negative connotation, but it is unfair to solely attribute its promotion to any single party. The allocation of tickets by the three principal parties - the Biju Janata Dal, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the Congress – in Odisha demonstrates the influence of dynastic ties in furthering careers across the political spectrum.
The list of candidates for 49 Assembly and eight Lok Sabha seats announced by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee showed there was no hesitation on part of grand old party in fielding father-son and father-daughter duos.
Bhakta Charan Das, serving as Chairman of the Congress Campaign Committee, is slated to contest the Assembly election from Narla in Kalahandi district while his son, Sagar Charan Das has been fielded from Bhawanipatna, situated not far from Narla in the same district.
Bhujabal Majhi has received the party’s nod as the Lok Sabha candidate for the Nabarangpur Parliamentary Constituency. His daughter, Lipika Majhi, will make electoral debut from Dabugam Assembly seat. Samarendra Mishra, son of esteemed Congress leader Narasingha Mishra, previously contested the Balangir Lok Sabha seat in 2019 albeit unsuccessfully. This time around, his father has made way, vacating his own assembly seat for his son’s candidature.
However, the Congress list notably excludes the Gamang family from the Koraput Lok Sabha constituency. Giridhar Gamang, former Odisha CM, along with his Sisir Gamang and wife Hema Gamang had recently returned to parent party – Congress after brief stints in BJP and Bharat Rashtra Samithi. Despite Giridhar Gamang’s remarkable nine-term representation of the Koraput LS seat and his wife’s single term, neither of their names appears on the list.
Congress, however, issued show cause notice Suresh Chandra Routray for publicly campaigning in favour of his son Manmath Routray, who has been fielded by BJD for Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat. There is possibility of his elder son, Sidharth Routray, embarking on electoral journey from this election.
Former State BJP President and sitting Kalahandi MP Basant Panda has also vacated his traditional Nuapada Assembly seat for his son Abhinandan Kumar Panda. In neighbouring Balangir district, the BJP has again reposed faith on husband-wife – Kanak Bardhan Singhdeo and Sangeeta Kumar Singh Deo. While Ms. Singh Deo is Lok Sabha candidate for saffron party, former BJP president will contest from Patnagarh Assembly constituency.
The dynastic ties determining candidature is more pronounced in BJD this time. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik is accused of promoting dynastic politics.
Sunil Mohanty and Biplab Patro, sons of departed late BJD ministers Maheswar Mohanty and Surjya Narayan Patro, have been fielded from Puri and Digapahandi Assembly seats. Minister Usha Devi had informed BJD leadership not to consider her for this election. From Chikiti Assembly seat, her son Chinmayananda Srirup Deb will fight on a BJD ticket. Arabinda Mohapatra, son of former BJD leader Bijoy Mohapatra, has been fielded by the BJD this time. Ankit Pratap Jena, son of former Minister Pratap Jena, will also make political debut this time from Mahanga Assembly seat.
The BJD has repeated candidature of Koushalya Hikaka, wife of former party MP Jhina Hikaka for Koraput Lok Sabha constituency. Pritiranjan Ghadei, Kalikesh Singhdeo, Debiranjan Tripathy, Dipali Das, and Souvic Biswal, whose fathers were once veteran BJD leaders, have already established themselves in the party.
