Sambalpur in western Odisha is set for a high-octane electoral battle between BJP leader and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) organising secretary Pranab Prakash Das.
The seat falls in the BJP stronghold of western Odisha where the party has a wide acceptance that is largely attributed to the presence of organisations affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. In 2019, BJP candidate Nitesh Gang Deb won the seat by a margin of less than 10,000 votes. The BJD has a robust cadre-based structure that can spoil anyone’s party. Once a formidable force, the Congress now finds itself relegated to the third place.
Having assessed his chances of victory across various constituencies for the past two years, Mr. Pradhan, previously a BJP strategist who has worked in elections in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh, has chosen Sambalpur. His candidature assumes significance as he has returned to direct elections after 15 years during which he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from other States. With the BJP emphasising on its senior leaders getting elected by people this time, Mr. Pradhan chose his home State.
