India
Jay Panda loses prestige fight.
Updated : May 24, 2019, 09:04 AM IST
Kendrapara, Jay Panda's constituency voted during the 4th phase of General Elections on April 29. Here's how the candidates have fared:
8AM:
Counting starts
FINAL result: BJD's Anubhav Mohanty defeats Jay Panda by 152854 votes.
In a major boost for Naveen Patnaik, his bete nore Jay Panda is all set to lose from Kendrapara. He is trailing by over 92 thousand votes against BJD's Anubhav Mohanty.
Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency profile:
On May 23, out of 21 constituencies in Odisha, most poll pundits would like to see who won the prestige battle for Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency. Here Baijayant Jay Panda who was BJD's point person in Delhi for several years before his fallout with Naveen Patnaik is contesting from a BJP seat. Panda who is an incumbent MP is resigned from the party over differences with Patnaik and later joined BJP.
Not only Kendrapara, BJP hopes that suave Panda with deep connections will help them grow across Coastal Odisha where the party has been weak traditionally.
Contesting against Panda is BJD's actor turned politician Anubhav Mohanty who is a Rajya Sabha member. In his rallies, Mohanti dubs it as a fight between Beimani and Swabhimani, alluding to Panda leaving the party. Mohanty whose latest flick Biju Baba has captured the attention of people believes star power and legacy of the Patnaiks' will be enough to win the battle.
To nullify Anubhav's star power, Jay Panda is taking help of another cinestar Babusan. Congress candidate Dharanidhar Nayak is also in the fray.
But ultimately this is a batle between Naveen Patnaik and Baijayant Panda. Naveen has alleged that Panda has spread rumours about his health, a charge BJP leader roundly rejects. Naveen also believes Panda has just made money for his industries and done little for his constituency and even accuses BJP leader of sabotaging railway projects to Kendrapara.
Historically, Kendrapara has been a BJD fort. The party, since inception has won Kendrapara non-stop from 1998. Before that Janata Dal won thrice at a stretch. Jay Panda is two times MP from Kendrapara and won the last election by over 2.08 lakh margin over Congress' Dharanidhar Nayak, who is contesting again. BJP only got 10% of the votes, but hopes for much better performance. Odisha's tallest leader Biju Patnaik had been a three times MP from Kendrapara. Unlike many other Odisha constituencies, Congress has won the seat only once in 1953. BJP has never won from here.
The assembly segments here are Salipur, Mahanga, Patkura, Kendrapara, Aul,Rajanagarand Mahakalapada. Kendrapara goes to polls on April 29.