Kandhamal has been a sensitive region in the state of Odisha. At times
over several decades there have been ethnic and communal flares which have put
an uneasy spotlight on it. The Biju Janata Dal Government ruling the state of
Odisha, led by its dynamic and popular Chief Minister Shri. Naveen Patnaik has
been winning the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat consecutively for several terms. In
2014 General Elections, Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat was won by Shri. Hemendra
Chandra Singh, a hugely popular young politician who is also a royal scion from
the Nayagarh royal family. The people of Kandhamal Lok Sabha segment comprising
the assembly segments of Baliguda, G.Udayagiri, Phulbani, Boudh, Kantamal,
Daspalla, and Bhanjanagar bestowed their trust in the able leadership of Hon’ble
Chief Minister of Odisha Shri. Naveen Patnaik and the young aspirant for
Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat Shri. Hemendra Chandra Singh. Within three months of
being sworn in as the Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Kandhamal,
Shri. Hemendra Chandra Singh passed away rather tragically, bringing down the
curtains on his dynamic and illustrious but short political career. Leaving
behind a young son and a daughter, Late Shri. Hemendra Chandra Singh’s wife Smt.
Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh boldly and courageously came forward to take up the
baton of leadership left behind by her late husband.
Smt.Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh’s decision to take up the leadership
mantle was strongly supported and encouraged by the Hon’ble Chief Minister
Shri. Naveen Patnaik. He acknowledged the aspirations of Smt. Singh to carry
forward the legacy and fulfill the unfulfilled dreams of her late husband
Shri. Hemendra Chandra Singh.
With the by-poll dates being announced for the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat
due to the sad demise of Late Shri.Singh, the Biju Janata Dal supremo and
Odisha Chief Minister Shri. Naveen Patnaik came forth and again proved how he
and the “Biju Parivar” values and encourages women to take up leadership
positions and strongly works towards women empowerment. Shri. Naveen Patnaik
nominated Smt. Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh as the Biju Janata Dal candidate for
the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat in the bye-elections scheduled to be held on 15th
October, 2014. This decision was met with great enthusiasm by the party rank
and file of the BJD. The entire party galvanized to strengthen the electoral
activities for ensuring a massive win for Smt.Singh.
Led by the BJD’s chief star campaigner Shri. Naveen Patnaik, the party
machinery roared into action as it went to the grassroots of Kandhamal and
built greater awareness about the developmental activities brought about in
Odisha for the betterment of its people by Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri. Naveen
Patnaik and the Biju Janata Dal. Smt. Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singgh ably supported
by the party’s senior leaders and workers moved from panchayat to panchayat,
block to block; building a one-to-one relationship with the voters who saw in
her a radiant leader who was committed to continuing the good work started by
her late husband Shri.Hemendra Chandra Singh.
Late Shri.Hemendra Chandra Singh had done very well in the General
Elections of May, 2014. He had defeated his nearest rival of the Congress party
by more than 1.8 lakh votes having achieved a tally of 4,21,458 votes. When the
counting results came in for the bye-elections of the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat
on 19th October, 2014, it was seen that Smt. Pratyusha Rajeshwari
Singh had polled 4,80,489 votes, having trounced her nearest opponent by nearly
three lakh votes. It set a new precedence in the era of electoral politics in
Odisha where such a huge margin of victory was never seen before in a
bye-election in recent times.
This victory clearly demonstrates the clean and dynamic image of Hon’ble
Chief Minister Shri.Naveen Patnaik and how he is loved and adored by the masses
of Odisha. This massive win also illustrates that the people of Kandhamal and
Odisha in general have strong faith and their best wishes on the Biju Janata
Dal. This win also underlines the strong party cadre of the Biju Janata Dal
which was led very effectively by the party leaders on the ground. It provides
scope for introspection that the true win was due to the connect that the Biju
Janata Dal has with the grassroots and for the people of Kandhamal, it is the
conch of BJD which holds supreme when it comes to pressing the button on the
EVMs.
As Robert Frost said, “the woods are lovely, dark
and deep; but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep and miles
to go before I sleep.” Truly the words of Robert Frost rings true for Hon’ble
Chief Minister Shri.Naveen Patnaik and the Biju Janata Dal who have been
tirelessly working for the development of Odisha and it is their commitment to
the state that has led the people of Odisha to grow their dreams bigger and work
hard to realize it since they know that the Conch of BJD which holds sway on
Kandhamal and Odisha; also holds sway on millions of hearts in Odisha.
