Conch mesmerizes Kandhamal in the Lok Sabha by-poll 2014

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 15^th 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 19^th 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.