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Kandhamal, April 18: BJP plans to expand its political
base in Southern Orissa and Coastal Andhra by using the
Kandhamal issue to the maximum. BJP candidate Ashok Sahu
may loose Phulbani Lok Sabha seat to BJD candidate
Rudramadhav Ray in the poll held on April 16th, but he
plans to have a door-to-door visit after the
announcement of the results for Lok Sabha and State
Assembly poll as an exercise for the possible midterm
poll after two years.
In an hour long interaction through an informal channel,
just before getting the bail from a district court on
Friday, Sahu, lodged at G Udaygiri jail of Phulbani
district, said that he is confident of winning this
election. But, he also conceded that BJD candidate
Rudramadhav Ray is at a advantageous position as the
ruling party had been contesting the Parliamentary and
six out of the seven assembly seats in Phulbani Lok
Sabha constituency in the previous two elections. "BJP
is organizationally not strong as it had contested only
Baliguda assembly constituency in the previous poll", he
said.
It may be mentioned here that Christian voters numbering
around 3,000, staying in the refugee camps in the
Phulbani district, could able to cast their vote. But, a
large number of Christians staying outside the district
could not cast their vote because of the fear psychosis.
Even Sahu also accepted the fact that the participation
of Christian voters', living outside the district, is
limited. However, he claimed that he enjoys the support
of Baptist Christians in the district.
Sahu said irrespective of the poll out come, any
government both at the Centre and State will not be
stable. A coalition government may be formed both at the
Centre and State. Congress supporting BJD in forming a
government in the state can not be ruled out, he said.
But, Sahu said that the midterm poll is imminent in the
next two and half years. "We will carry door to door
campaign after the announcement of the current elections
for the next poll". Security forces have arrested
innocent people in the recent Hindu and Christian riots.
Old age people and children were also not spared. The
anger is simmering among Hindus of the district due to
the atrocities committed by the security forces on them,
he said.
On the possible Maoist attack on him, Sahu said that he
is prepared to face any challenge as he has faced
similar threat in the past as a police officer from the
militants in North-east region.
Sahu lamented that the security cover has been withdrawn
just five days before the murder of Swami Laxmanand
Saraswati and the state government is yet to explain the
reason for this decision. "There seems to be a big
conspiracy behind the murder of Swamiji that needs to be
probed," he said.
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