BusinessLine (Kolkata)

Fragmented front: INDIA bloc fails to take off in Odisha

NON-STARTER. The failure of a formal alliance has resulted in a host of smaller parties contesting the elections on their own

- Prafulla Das

The INDIA bloc has not taken shape in Odisha as the constituen­ts of the Congress-led front have failed to arrive at any formal seat sharing agreement to take on the ruling Biju Janata Dal and the BJP in the forthcomin­g Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the State.

Despite having a 17-partymeet in October last to chalk out a formal strategy which was followed by a few more meetings, the constituen­ts of INDIA bloc have failed to join hands. Their initial plan to organise joint rallies in all the 21 Lok Sabha constituen­cies did not materialis­e.

The failure of a formal alliance has resulted in the Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Aam Aadmi Party and a host of smaller parties contesting the elections on their own.

FIGHT ON THEIR OWN

The CPI has announced that it will contest one LS seat (Jagatsingh­pur) and 11 Assembly seats, while the CPI (M) has announced it will contest in one Parliament­ary seat (Bhubaneswa­r) and seven Assembly seats. The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation has also fielded its candidate in Koraput Parliament­ary seat and five Assembly segments. The AAP has announced to contest in 37 Assembly seats.

The leaders of di˜erent parties that were keen to share seats with Congress to fight the polls are putting the blame on the State Congress leaders for the INDIA bloc not taking o˜ in the State.

The simultaneo­us elections for the 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats in Odisha are scheduled to be held in the last four phases – May 13, 20, 25 and June 1.

The Congress, however, has informally conceded only one Assembly seat – Bonai under Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituen­cy – to the CPI(M). The party is now heading for triangular contests in all Lok

Sabha and Assembly seats to fight the main contenders – the BJD and the BJP. It has also not fielded any candidate in Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha letting the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha to contest from there. Last time too, the Congress had an electoral understand­ing with the JMM.

Interestin­gly, the Congress had shared seats with the CPI and the CPI(M) in the 2019 elections. Veteran CPI(M) leader Janardan Pati had unsuccessf­ully contested from the Bhubaneswa­r Lok Sabha seat, while Ramakrushn­a Panda of the CPI had unsuccessf­ully contested from the

Aska Lok Sabha seat.

LOSING GROUND

The Congress has already launched its electoral campaign with former Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressing a public meeting in Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituen­cy on Sunday. The party’s e˜orts is being seen as a case of ‘too little and too late’. Veterans feel that the Congress had been losing steadily its base to the BJP in the past elections. In 2019, a major chunk of its support base went over to the BJP in the wake of Pulwama and Balakot surgical strikes. This had helped the BJP to capture eight Lok Sabha and 23 Assembly seats. The BJD had won 12 Lok Sabha and 112 Assembly seats, while the Congress had won one Lok Sabha and nine Assembly seats.

This time, if the Congress strengthen­s its campaign and manages to regain its lost vote bank, the BJP runs the risk of losing the principal opposition space which it had managed to capture in 2019 by relegating the Congress to the third position. This may also help the BJD in further tightening its grip over its support base.

An improvemen­t of the Congress performanc­e could also help the ruling BJD in its electoral prospects. A proper triangular contest works to the advantage of the BJD.

 ?? ?? TREADING A TIGHTROPE. Rahul Gandhi greets Congress party workers as he arrives to attend a public meeting at Salipur in Kendrapara district in Odisha
TREADING A TIGHTROPE. Rahul Gandhi greets Congress party workers as he arrives to attend a public meeting at Salipur in Kendrapara district in Odisha

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