BHUBANESWAR: Though the Umerkote bypoll result will not change much for either of the three parties __ the BJD, the BJP and the Congress __ all have put a lot at stake.It assumes much significance for the party honchos.For Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, whose Government is reeling under a number of scams and irregularities, it has become a prestige issue to show that all is well as far as governance is concerned.For State Congress president Niranjan Patnaik, after the defeat in the Kendrapara civic elections, there is dire need to establish himself in the party’s scheme of things.It is also a test for the State BJP president Jual Oram.He was made party chief at a time when it was almost finished in the 2009 elections after its alliance with the BJD fell through.A tribal face, Oram had the onerous responsibility to revive the party in the State.The bypoll result will also test the Oram’s popularity among the tribals.The going has not been smooth for Naveen from the beginning.BJD poll managers maintain that the land scam involving Law Minister Bikram Arukh would have no impact on the outcome of the poll, but the controversy has certainly given the Opposition parties a talking point in their campaigning.The BJD has tried to play it safe by fielding Subash Gond, one of the close associates of slain legislator Jagabandhu Majhi, who also belonged to the Gond community.The rejection of special category state status for Odisha by the Centre has come as a godsend for the BJD which is now exploiting this to the hilt
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