Dropping hints about the post-poll turbulence in the ruling and dominant regional party in Odisha, Biju Janata Dal (BJD), former finance minister and vice-president of the party, Prafulla Ghadai today criticised the party high command for overlooking the winnability of a candidate while deciding the party ticket.
Such criticism of the party high command, which ostensibly points fingers at pragmatism of party supremo Naveen Patnaik in selecting candidates for the twin Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the state, is the first such open display of dissension by a senior party leader in the last 14 years rule of BJD, which has always prided in maintaining unison in public despite internal differences.
The overbearing hold of Patnaik on the party cadre could be gauged from the fact that even Ghadai didn't says a word against the leadership when he was dropped from the ministry last year and was denied party ticket last month for Sukinda assembly constituency, from where he was elected five times earlier. The party, instead, selected his son Pritirajan Ghadei, a sitting MLA from nearby Korei constituency to fight from the seat.
"It was unfortunate that the party high command denied ticket to me to contest from Sukinda. Pritiranjan should have been allowed to seek re-election from Korei where he had built formidable party organisation. He had to face some difficulty in Sukinda as he was new to the constituency and hence, even if he wins, the margin would be thin. Had I been selected to fight the Sukinda seat, the winning margin would have been different. The party leader should have realised this fact," said Ghadei.
The shrinking vote margin for his son is not because of stronger opposition candidate, but presence of a rebel candidate of BJD, he said speaking to local newspapers and channels here.
However, he quickly added, "I have nothing to say as it was party decision. I will abide by whatever responsibility the party will offer me".
Sources said, Ghadei's remark has come at such a time when the party is facing serious challenges to keep its vote base and MLA numbers intact amid anti-incumbency atmosphere and presence of rebels threatening to spoil the chances of party's official candidates in many constituencies.
While the party had got 103 seats out of 147 assembly seats in 2009 elections, opposition leaders and some party men, in private, have said, BJD this time would find it difficult to reach the magic figure of 72.
"We have done well in the second phase polls and we are estimating to get around 40 seats (from 77 seats in coastal Odisha). We have also done well in the first phase polls (for 70 seats). Overall, I think it would be a hung assembly this time," said Srikant Jena, Union minister for state for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Congress leader.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was nearly decimated in 2009 because of last minute breakup of alliance with BJD, is hopeful to improve its tally from six at present to as much as 30 seats.
"As per our estimate, we might get 25-30 assembly seats and seven Lok Sabha seats this time", said Biswabhushan Harichandan, state BJP leader. Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, the expelled BJD leader and former advisor of Naveen Patnaik, who is known for his accurate prediction of poll results in earlier elections, has also said BJD would fall short of majority this time and could manage to get around 65 seats.
However, BJD leader Prasanna Acharya said, he is confident that the ruling party would bag 105 seats in the assembly elections.
