Bhubaneswar, April 23: The Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha is indeed witnessing a fierce battle between two stalwart leaders: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan of the BJP and BJD organization secretary Pranab Prakash Das.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, representing the BJP, is making a comeback to direct electoral politics after a 15-year hiatus. His familiarity with the political landscape of Sambalpur and his acceptability among the people work in his favor.
Pranab Prakash Das, popularly known as Bobby, a three-time MLA from Jajpur, has accepted the challenge to take on Pradhan. He aims to upset the status quo by contesting from Sambalpur. Das is garnering votes by showcasing the developmental works undertaken by the BJD government led by CM Naveen Patanaik during its 24-year tenure.
The grand old party Congress has fielded Dulal Chandra Pradhan from the seat. A political greenhorn, Dulal has been the vice-president of Sambalpur District Athletics Association. Hailing from Rairakhol and settled in Sambalpur, he had never contested any election before.
This high-profile battle promises to be an interesting contest, with both candidates vying for the trust and votes of the electorate. The outcome will undoubtedly shape the political landscape in the western Odisha region.
The Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency comprises seven Assembly segments: Kuchinda, Rengali, Sambalpur, Rairakhol, Deogarh, Chhendipada, and Athamallik.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Nitesh Ganga Deb from the BJP had won the seat with a margin of 9,162 votes. He secured 42.00% of the votes, defeating Nalini Kanta Pradhan from the BJD, who received 41.24% of the votes.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections, Nagendra Kumar Pradhan from the BJD emerged victorious by a narrow margin of 30,000 votes in a closely contested battle between the BJD-BJP alliance and Congress.
