The upcoming Lok Sabha election in Sundargarh constituency will witness a fierce competition between Jual Oram of the BJP, Dilip Tirkey from BJD, and Janardan Dehury representing the Congress
Bhaskar Parichha
The Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency, in Odisha, has been a stronghold for the BJP since 2014, with Jual Oram winning the seat twice consecutively. Once again, the saffron party has nominated Oram as their candidate for Sundargarh.
In previous elections, the battle for the top two positions in Sundargarh has primarily been between the BJP and Congress, with the Congress closely trailing behind. However, both the BJD and Congress have introduced new candidates for the general election 2024.
The voting for Sundargarh will take place on May 20th, during the fifth phase of the elections.
The Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha is made up of seven assembly seats – Sundargarh, Talsara, Rajgangpur, Biramitrapur, Rourkela, Raghunathpali, and Bonai. Over the years, this seat has been held by various political parties including Congress, BJP, and Janata Dal. Biju Janata Dal has not yet secured a victory in this constituency.
Past History
The history of this seat dates back to 1952 when Congress emerged victorious. Subsequently, candidates from Ganatantra Parishad, Swatantra Party, Janata Party, and Congress have also won in different years.
BJP started gaining ground in this constituency from 1998 onwards, with Jual Oram winning consecutively until 2004. However, there have been instances where other parties like Congress have managed to secure victories as well. In 2019, Oram emerged as the winner with a significant margin of votes.
The former Union tribal affairs minister and the present Hockey India president have been old rivals with Jual edging past Dilip in a triangular contest that also featured former chief minister Hemanand Biswal of the Congress in 2014. Dilip was surprisingly dropped in 2019 and the BJD fielded Biswal’s daughter Sunita against Jual but failed to gain any traction.
Naveen Patnaik, the leader of the BJD, has once again selected Dilip to challenge Jual. Dilip, a Catholic Christian and undoubtedly the greatest sports icon of Odisha, has been chosen by the BJD to appeal to multiple sections of the voters, despite the previous unsuccessful attempt.
Sundargarh district is renowned as the birthplace of hockey in India. For the majority tribal population, hockey is not just a sport but a way of life, particularly for the tribal Christians.
Dilip’s remarkable journey from the heart of the district to the Indian national team, where he became the captain and brought glory to the country in numerous international tournaments, has been a source of immense pride for the people of the region. However, this pride has not translated into electoral support for him.
BJD Strategy
The BJD’s strategy appears to be to pull maximum hockey-loving and Christian voters through Dilip. It has targeted other segments of voters on Naveen Patnaik’s popularity, the plank of development works and politics of doling out goodies to all.
Dilip also never forgets to remind voters about Naveen’s contribution to hockey and development of sports, including infrastructure and facilities in the district.
However, the regional outfit’s bid to penetrate the BJP’s traditional bastion is fraught with tough challenges as the former Union minister is firmly holding his ground. The tribals have been with the BJP since the 1990s, hence Jual’s record of winning five of six elections with two tenures as Cabinet minister.
In 1990, when the BJP was insignificant in Odisha, Jual emerged as one of the two MLAs from the Bonai segment under the LS constituency. He secured victory again in 1995. Subsequently, in 1998, he clinched the LS seat with a substantial lead of more than 1.26 lakh votes. Jual continued his winning streak by triumphing in the 1999 elections with an even more resounding victory.
Jual vs Hemananda
Jual made history by becoming the first tribal affairs minister in the nation, following the establishment of a dedicated ministry by the Vajpayee government. Despite winning the 2004 LS election, he faced a surprising defeat to Hemanand in 2009.
However, Jual made a strong comeback in 2014 and reclaimed his position as the tribal affairs minister in the Modi government. Although he was not appointed as a minister in 2019, Jual remains one of the most senior leaders of the BJP with a significant following.
Several factors contribute to his popularity, including the widespread appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Additionally, the appointment of Droupadi Murmu, a tribal woman from Odisha, as the President of India, has bolstered positive sentiments among the tribal population in the region. Furthermore, the various welfare schemes introduced by the Modi government have garnered a loyal support base, known as “labharthis,” as observed in other parts of the country.
Christian Votes
Furthermore, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a noticeable undertone regarding the Ram temple matter, which can be attributed to the significant influence of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its associated organizations in the area.
The return of former Union minister of coal Dilip Ray to the BJP and contest from Rourkela has also come as a boon for Jual.
The LS seat has about 15.67 lakh registered voters and about 7.99 lakh are tribal voters, including Christians. Christian and Muslim voters account for about around 2.85 lakh and 75 thousand respectively. They have been traditionally wooed by the Congress and BJD.
Congress candidate Janardan Dehury, ex-MLA of Bonai and president of the Sundargarh District Congress Committee, is far behind in the race. There are about 3 lakh voters of Bhuiya tribe, which had been a mainstay vote bank of the Congress. But since last 15 years they have drifted to the BJP and BJD.
In a bid to push Christian voters towards the BJP, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs John Barla held closed-door meeting with leaders of different churches at Rourkela recently. Barla’s meeting assumes significance as the sizable Christian voters in the tribal-dominated district of Sundargarh traditionally side with the Congress and BJD.
(The author is a senior journalist and columnist. Views expressed are personal.)