Home turf of Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, the Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency – going to polls in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 13 – will witness a battle between two turncoats.
In this high-stakes battle, all eyes will be on Bhrugu Baxipatra of the BJD and Pradeep Panigrahy of the BJP. While Baxipatra was the vice-president of the saffron party’s state unit until last week, Panigrahy was expelled from the ruling party.
A traditional Congress stronghold in the past, the BJD has won this seat since 2009. But, Panigrahy’s entry complicates matters and turns this into a prestige battle due to the growing influence of the BJP in the district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already campaigned in the constituency, where he told people if they bring the BJP to power in the state, he will ensure that the next CM is a “son or daughter of Odisha”.
In 1996, former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao had contested from Berhampur and defeated Janata Dal candidate and queen of the erstwhile Khallikote royal family V Sugnana Kumari Deo by a margin of more than one lakh votes.
Known as the silk city of Odisha, Berhampur in Ganjam district is in the southern part of the state. It is among the 21 parliamentary constituencies and includes the entirety of the Gajapati district and a part of the Ganjam district. It has seven assembly segments – Chhatrapur (SC), Gopalpur, Berhampur, Digapahandi, Chikiti and Mohana (ST) in Ganjam district, along with Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district. It is presently represented by BJD MP Chandra Sekhar Sahu.
For the state, which has simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha, this will be the first phase of polling. The state is gearing up for simultaneous assembly and parliamentary elections making for an interesting contest.
In the 2019 general elections, Sahu bagged the seat on a BJD ticket with a lead of 94,844 and a share of 44.84 per cent votes. Baxipatra, who was contesting on a BJP ticket came second with 35.26 per cent vote share while V Chandra Sekhar Naidu of the Congress got a vote share of 14.41 per cent. In the assembly polls, the BJD won five seats while the BJP and Congress bagged one seat each. Here, the BJD had a vote share of 43.8 per cent, followed by the BJP with 33.7 per cent and the Congress at 11.7 per cent.
BJP on an upward trend
The Berhampur battle is set to be a close one as the BJP has fielded Panigrahy, who is a three-time MLA from the Gopalpur assembly constituency. Also a former minister in the state cabinet, he was once a close aide of Patnaik and, before being expelled, looked after the Ganjam district as well as affairs in the CM’s Hinjili assembly seat.
Assuming the role of the BJD’s Ganjam president in 2015 positioned him as a key figure in overseeing the party’s operations in the district. But, he fell out with the party when he voiced concerns to Patnaik over the lack of involvement of elected leaders in Covid management. Following this, Panigrahy came under scrutiny for allegedly accepting money on behalf of Akash Pathak, the son of former IFS officer Abhay Pathak, purportedly in exchange for job opportunities.
The BJP candidate’s daughter was even set to marry Akash Pathak at the time. Despite these allegations, he consistently dismissed them as a targeted campaign orchestrated by certain influential factions within the BJD. His subsequent dismissal from the party was attributed to alleged “anti-people activities” and subsequent arrest on corruption charges.
Panigrahy was in jail for seven months. In March, however, his organisational skills and hold over political affairs in Ganjam earned him a BJP ticket. Despite being a controversial figure, his popularity stems from his work in the Ganjam district over the years.
He is described as a good orator who has a strong bond with the masses. He has carried out an energetic campaign with the pitch – ‘Etha ra leka chhi da e deba’ (This time, will end the chapter) – calling for the people to move beyond Patnaik. Despite corruption allegations against him, his support base remains robust.
In April, the newly minted BJP leader demanded security from the Odisha chief electoral officer (CEO) stating that the state government has withdrawn his cover. He said there were reports of murders in Ganjam every day and questioned how one can fight elections in such a situation.
The BJD, meanwhile, approached the CEO complaining that Panigrahy was allegedly threatening government officials to secure their support for the BJP. The party’s state unit has been mounting attacks on the CM for allegedly being inaccessible. It is marketing the “double engine” government model and is hopeful of a favourable outcome in both the elections.
The BJP benefits from the large number of leaders and workers that have switched over from the BJD and the Congress. Panigrahy alone brings considerable influence to the table. Another prominent face that recently switched to the BJP and will have an impact in Berhampur is Sidhant Mohapatra, a star face from Odia cinema, who has also served as the MP between 2009 and 2019.
The BJP is expected to continue on an upward trend, as its vote share roughly doubled between 2014 and 2019 while knocking the Congress down to third place. The party has been eyeing this BJD bastion for a while now and has successively improved its electoral performance each time. In the 2009 elections for Berhampur, the BJP only had a vote share of 11.1 per cent, which rose to 17.5 per cent in 2014, which more than doubled in 2019 to 35.7 per cent.
A similar trend is visible in the assembly elections. In 2009, it stood at 14.1 per cent of the vote share, which increased to 16.1 per cent in 2014, and almost doubled to 33.7 per cent in 2019. This rise for the BJP has largely come at the expense of the Congress, whose vote share dropped from 32.4 per cent in 2009 to 11.7 per cent in 2019. If such a growth trajectory continues in 2024, the BJP may come close to defeating the BJD, whose vote share in 2019 stood at 45.6 per cent.
This upward trend also indicates the impact of the “Modi factor”, which remains prevalent in this election as well, especially among young voters. The prime minister is a popular figure, making the BJP the second largest party in this constituency.
Enhanced highway access, improved welfare delivery and, particularly, PM Awas Yojana, Ujjwala, Kisan Samman Nidhi and free ration for the poor, have ensured a degree of credibility. The BJP is banking on this performance, wooing voters with an exuberant campaign and banking on anti-incumbency against the BJD.
Another factor in favour of the BJP is that a significant chunk of the Congress vote share in 2019 may be up for grabs this time around. The grand old party has fielded Rashmi Ranjan Patnaik, a lesser known leader in the region as opposed to 2019 candidate Naidu.
Naidu is also in the fray as an independent candidate, further dividing Congress votes, but the party has a stronghold in the ST-reserved Mohana constituency with an MLA.
BJD on a shaky throne
While the BJP is hoping to storm this BJD fortress, the ruling party is playing its own chess moves to keep the national juggernaut at bay. The party has nominated Baxipatra as its candidate; he formerly represented the BJP in the 2019 polls, securing second place and losing to Sahu by 94,844 votes.
After serving the BJP for 24 years, Baxipatra was miffed at not receiving a ticket this time. The BJD turned him over to its side and handed him the Lok Sabha ticket on the same day, hoping for a transfer of BJP votes to its fold. He had bagged 3,48,999 votes in 2019.
One significant challenge for him is that he was campaigning for years in the constituency on behalf of the BJP, and his switch to the BJD only a month ago has confused party workers and voters alike. They are faced with the call to campaign for someone they vehemently opposed in the previous election. There is a reported lack of coordination and enthusiasm in his campaign at the ground level.
By eating into BJP votes through Baxipatra’s nomination, bolstered by four MLAs in the constituency from Chhatrapur (SC), Berhampur, Digapahandi and Chikiti, the BJD hopes to retain its 2019 vote share and to retain the seat in what is proving to be a tough battle. The anti-incumbency factor against the ruling party is also a concern as the BJD has been in power in Odisha for the past 24 years.
There are, however, a number of positives. The BJD’s formidable stronghold in Berhampur is owed to the fact that it is in Patnaik’s native district. In fact, for him, this battle is about prestige as it pertains to his home turf. The chief minister is known for lending an ear to the people and solving their problems from time to time. Therefore, the region’s emotional attachment with the veteran leader cannot be underestimated.
The state government’s welfare schemes have also made a mark. The government has reportedly not adopted the Ayushman Bharat and has its own health scheme for the people. The Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) guarantees free treatment in any government hospital with no limits and limits of Rs 10 lakh for women and Rs 5 lakh for men in private hospitals, each year.
In Berhampur, the benefits have been visible to a considerable degree. The government has also come up with schemes involving interest-free loans for the youth and farmers.
A major chunk of Christian voters (11.34 per cent) also lean towards the BJD even as the BJP has made its own outreach efforts. The BJD is also aiming for tribal votes, competing with the Congress on that front.
Here are the key issues of the Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency:
- Water scarcity: Local residents are facing an acute water shortage every year. Residents of Surala village are the most affected, as women have to trek for at least 3 km in search of water. Several measures were taken to supply drinking water to the area, but all of them failed. Two projects, one at Badi Chowk in 2015 and the other at Surala hospital in 2020, were installed by the rural water supply and sanitation department. Both failed to deliver potable water to the people’s homes.
- Water contamination: Even the water that is being supplied to the residents is contaminated and unfit for drinking. According to reports, the water in Berhampur has been found to have more pH and turbidity. The two mega projects at Badi Chowk and Surala Hospital supply water unfit for consumption due to high salinity. While there are three borewells, even that water is not fit for consumption. There are many tube wells too, but the water supplied through them is high in salinity and can only be used for washing purposes.
- Road connectivity: Connectivity and condition of roads is on the decline. Delays in construction, lack of funds, corruption and other issues have led to a pathetic condition, so much so that the residents are now fed up. The main road in Prem Nagar was dug up seven years ago when a 2.6-km road along with drainage was undertaken in 2017 by the World Bank-funded Odisha Disaster Recovery Project. The drainage work remained incomplete as the World Bank withdrew, but the road is still dug up. People have staged protests against the local administration but in vain.
- Traffic congestion: Due to bad roads, traffic congestion has increased and the number of accidents has gone up. During the monsoon, the roads get water logged, causing a number of mishaps each year and compounding traffic congestion. It also leads to some areas turning into a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other health hazards.
- Shortage of doctors: For more than a decade, Berhampur has faced a shortage of doctors despite the presence of medical colleges and government hospitals in the region. The MKCG Medical College and Hospital, despite being the referral hospital for 10 southern districts, is unable to provide proper healthcare due to a shortage of doctors. According to reports, 160 out of a total sanctioned 488 posts are vacant but that’s not all. Senior doctors are unofficially absent from duty for long periods of time as they prefer to practise privately in Bhubaneswar or Cuttack. There is no accountability to this effect, which has affected patient care while people have also alleged corrupt practices between the administration and the doctoral staff.
- Tribal issues: Tribal communities in Berhampur form around 18 per cent of the total population, making them a potent force in the elections. Political parties often offer up various schemes and freebies as well as promises of development, which are not taken up after the elections. The region’s tribal settlements suffer from underdevelopment, isolation, and a lack of basic necessities. Discrimination and violence are the major challenges in the region and, moreover, their rehabilitation during development work is also neglected. Due to this, many tribal families are left with nothing.
Voter demographic ( as per 2011 Census)
Total Voters (recent estimate): ~15.67 lakh
Urban voters: 30.98%
Rural voters: 69.02%
Literacy Rate: 57.72%
Social Composition
SC: 15.88%
ST: 17.96%
Religious Composition
Hindu: ~79%
