Tribal face: After Majhi, who?

Saffron45

Editor

posted on 13 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

46
views

BHUBANESWAR: The death of Jagabandhu Majhi in the hands of unidentified gunmen has created a political void for the BJD in Nabaran..

BHUBANESWAR: The death of Jagabandhu Majhi in the hands of unidentified gunmen has created a political void for the BJD in Nabarangpur district.
The firsttime MLA, who fought for the rights of the tribals, was instrumental in expanding the base of the BJD in Nabarangpur district, particularly Umerkote constituency, a traditional Congress bastion. The constituency had, however, returned a BJP MLA in 2004 when the regional party had an alliance with it. When the BJD and the BJP parted ways before the 2009 elections, Jagabandhu was given a BJD ticket.

He defeated the BJP candidate in the election and registered the first electoral victory for the BJD in the constituency. Known as a Congress fortress, the constituency favoured antiCongress candidates only thrice in its electoral history.

In other elections, either the Congress or the Utkal Congress candidates had won from the constituency.

He was elected on a Janata Party ticket after the Emergency. Parama Pujari of the Congress represented the constituency four times in 1980, 1985, 1995 and 2000.

The BJP has strong presence in the constituency and the Congress traditional support base. A senior BJD leader said if the party does not play its cards well, the constituency may slip away from its clutches.