Votes of around 80,000 Bangladeshi settlers could seal the outcome in the tribal-dominated Nabarangpur parliamentary constituency in Odisha, according to political observers.
The settlers, who had migrated from Bangladesh, live in 213 villages of Malkangiri district and 64 villages in Nabarangpur district after acquiring Indian citizenship in the early 70s, they said.
Candidates of different parties are trying their best to woo them.
Though Malkangiri, where most settlers live, has always been an anti-Congress seat, the grand old party made inroads and won the Nabarangpur seat in 2009.
"The situation was different before 2009, but now Bangladeshi settlers are with Congress. As majority of them living in Malkangiri are farmers, I have tried to help them by providing irrigation facility. I am confident that this time they will vote for Congress as I had always been with them at the time of their need," said Congress candidate and sitting MP Pradeep Majhi.
BJP, which enjoyed their support, is reportedly losing grip over them with former Malkangiri MLA Arabinda Dhali, also a Bangladeshi settler, joining BJD during the 2009 polls.
BJP candidate Parsuram Majhi said, "They want to see Modi as prime minister and will vote for BJP.
