All Political Parties Lost Something in Dhamnagar Bypoll

BJP was able to retain the Dhamnagar assembly seat in the bypoll. The jubilant BJP considers it to be a major stepping stone towards grabbing power during next assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Odisha. The ruling BJD has started to shrug away the defeat by terming the BJP win as something that they had expected beforehand. The BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik has also given a statement in this line. But if observed closely, the by-election of Dhamnagar has come as an eye-opener for all teh three major political parties in Odisha, the BJD, BJP, and Congress. The reality of these three parties has opened up before the voters. In reality, all these three parties have lost something or the other in the Dhamnagar bypoll.

BJP:

BJP had always proclaimed itself as a party quite different from other political parties. It has always denounced family politics and criticised political dynasties and scions. In the past, it had also come down against its political rivals for fielding family members of deceased political leaders as candidates in bypolls. Its leaders had not failed to criticise use of sympathy wave and dynastic politics by their political rivals.

But in Dhamnagar bypoll BJP preferred to have Suraj Suryabanshi as its candidate. Suraj is the son of Bishnu Chanran Sethi, the BJP MLA of Dhamnagar, who passed away on September 19. The BJP did not shy to cash on the sympathy wave in favour of the late MLA and used his son as the candidate. It is quite natural for the voters to think about whether the BJP is really the party of difference that it claims to be.

BJD:

Since long the BJD has tried to project inner party unity as its major strength. Party supremo Naveen Patnaik is the undisputed leader of the party. It is not a party where inner party squabbles and rebellions take place. They claim to be the most disciplined political party in Odisha. As per the BJD leaders, this enables the party to rule the State in a disciplined manner.

But Dhamnagar by-election provided a different picture of the party to the people of Odisha. Former BJD MLA Rajendra Das preferred to rebel against the decision of the BJD supremo to field Abanti Das as the candidate for the byelection. Rajendra contested as an independent. His candidature gave the message to the voters that the BJD house was not united inside. In comparison, the BJP showed up a united face. The much proclaimed clout of young turks of the BJD also got tested in Dhamnagar byelection. In all, the Dhamnagar byelection proved that all is not well in the party organisation of the BJD. Denied ticket, some of its leaders like Rajendra can prefer to challenge its undisputed chief Naveen Patnaik. The BJD also has infighting and rebels of the party can upset its poll prospects in the future.

Congress:

Congress had a completely dismal performance in Dhamnagar bypoll. The candidate of this national party could get only 2.18 percent votes. This low vote percentage passes on the message that the Congress vote bank is on the decline in the State. If the voters feel, the Congress is not a force to reckon with, the vote bank of the party will fall further. This will surely be a major obstacle for the revitalisation of the party before the next assembly and Lok Sabha polls.