BJD faces uphill task in Cuttack-Sadar

CUTTACK: BJD candidate Chandra Sarathi Behera for Cuttack-Sadar assembly segment is faced with a difficult task of retaining his father's seat. The reason being senior leaders and party workers are very displeased with sitting MLA and his father Kalindi Behera for not focusing on development in the constituency and neglecting his partymen in the last five years.
"We worked hard in 2009 polls to ensure Kalindi's victory but after winning he sidelined us.He neither carried out any development work in the constituency nor did he work to strengthen his base in the area. So neither he has support of people nor the partymen. Now his son will pay the price," said a senior BJD leader.
Locals are also upset with Kalindi. "Forget about carrying out development work, Kalindi was not even available in the constituency to listen to the problems of people. Few years ago, there were over 115 lift irrigation points in Baialis Mouza but now hardly 40 of them are functional," said H K Routray, a senior citizen of the constituency. Seventy-year-old Kalindi won 2009 polls by 50,000 votes.
Chandra Sarathi has refuted the allegations and is brimming with confidence. "My father has carried out many development works in the constituency and people will definitely support me," he said.
Strong contenders from BJP and Congress have made things worse for Chandra. Congress has fielded Chandrasekhar Samal and BJP Dilip Mallick.
According to political analysts, both BJD and Congress are suffering from internal bickering and is faction- ridden and BJP' Dillip Mallick will immensely benefit by it.
"There is strong resentment among BJD and Congress workers in the constituency and Mallick is cashing in on the opportunity. BJP candidate seem to be in very good position," said a political analyst, who wished not to be named. Congress nomimee Chandrasekhar Samal is facing opposition from his partymen for being an 'outsider'.
The assembly constituency has over 1.96 lakh voters and major problems of the area are lack of irrigation facilities, poor roads, unemployment and poor health services.