Odisha: Who Holds Edge in Country’s Much Talked-about Poverty-stricken Kalahandi LS Seat?

Bhubaneswar: The name of Odisha’s Kalahandi district has always sprung up in the arena of national politics several times in the past, - largely due to its infamous poverty and at times for its untapped rich natural resources. This district has a plethora of paradoxes. It suffers droughts while it also boasts of the brimming blue waters of the Indravati reservoir that make its land lush green.

This tribal-dominated agrarian region has around 16 lakh voters. However, many wonder if the voters of this district have ever been properly represented by their elected leaders.

Because of the high prevalence of tribals, some assembly segments of this region are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST). As many as five assembly segments of Kalahandi district and two of adjoining Nuapada constitute the Kalahandi parliamentary constituency.

In 2009, the Kalahandi Lok Sabha seat was won by the Congress candidate and former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das who secured 4,01,736 votes. However, the tables turned in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when the state’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Arka Keshari Deo grabbed the seat. He got 3,70,871 votes while BJP’s Pradeep Kumar Naik finished second with 3,45,524 votes. The Congress candidate Bhakta Charan Das finished third with 3,07,967 votes. In this election, the popularity of BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik reigned over the influence of the Kalahandi royal family over the voters.

The margin of difference in the votes secured by the top three candidates hinted that there was not much difference in the popularity as well as organizational strength of these three political parties.

The interesting fact was that around 20,000 voters had not preferred any of these three candidates. According to political analysts, a sizable number of voters in Kalahandi did not bear any deep trust in the three major political parties and their candidates.

Five years passed and Kalahandi again braced up for a political battle during the 2019 general elections. It was an election in which the BJP and the BJD tried to market aspirations in the name of their governments at the Centre and the state, respectively.

In 2019, BJP's Basant Kumar Panda won the seat by getting a total of 4,33,073 votes, while his closest rival Pushpendra Singh Deo of the BJD bagged 4,06,260 votes. The Indian National Congress candidate Bhakta Charan Das had to be satisfied with 3,19,202 votes.

The number of voters not interested in any of these three candidates was 21,199.

The recent mood of the voters in the Kalahandi constituency hints that footprints of modern communication and accessibility to news have started to make them aspire for positive political change. People of the area have begun to dream of real prosperity instead of the hollow promises and slogans of traditional political parties.

As the elections are drawing near, persons aspiring to become MLA or MP have started to sprout at every nook and corner. But in their minds, the voters are silently in search of a leader who is not just a pawn of some political brand. They want a new leader who thinks of Kalahandi’s progress rather than fulfilling the political aspirations of his own and his party. It is clear that people have started to dream of some changes in the political go that is continuing till date.

At this juncture, young social activist Madhu Mohanty, who had earlier formed the Kalahandi Liberation Front (KLF) in the Kalahandi district, has emerged at the forefront. Through the KLF, Madhu Mohanty motivated hundreds of youths and students to come out for the service of the motherland and its inhabitants. He has again drawn the attention of political observers and voters as well.

Madhu Mohanty has started visiting areas of the Kalahandi parliamentary constituency. He is seen assuring the general public of fulfilling their real needs and aspirations. As it is seen, Mohanty is getting his old associates of KLF to get re-organized. His meetings across the parliamentary constituency are seen drawing large crowds, including youths and women.

“The rising popularity of Madhu Mohanty has started to worry the Kalahandi district leaders of the three major parties. He is a potential candidate who has the ability to turn the tide in his favour,” said Kambupani Mishra, a noted local journalist and political commentator.

According to Mishra, voters of Kalahandi are frustrated with the high-sounding hollow slogans of major political parties and want a change.

“In case the voters get a good and different candidate, they will surely vote in favour of him or her. They want a candidate who has proved himself through his past deeds rather than getting branded by any political party. Kalahandi voters are no longer interested in getting swayed by the much-repeated political rhetoric,” said the political analyst.