JB Patnaik’s son Pruthvi confident of maiden electoral victory in Odisha

Our organisational base is quite strong now, he said.He emphasised the growing disillusionment with both the ruling BJD and BJP, citing their failed alliance talks and delayed candidate announcements for Begunia.Pruthvi asserted that the Congress is well-positioned to capitalise on this discontent, buoyed by strong grassroots support and a palpable desire for more accessible representation.

Embarking on his inaugural electoral campaign in his late father and former chief minister JB Patnaik's Begunia assembly segment in Odisha's Khurda district, 58-year-old Pruthvi Ballav Patnaik expressed optimism about clinching victory in his maiden election bid.

Patnaik, who was named as the Congress candidate for Begunia, had declined the party's ticket in 2019, but has now embraced the opportunity after extensive groundwork since the 2022 panchayat polls, party sources said.

Though JB Patnaik was chief minister thrice from 1980 to 1989 and again from 1995 to 1999, Pruthvi had initially shown little interest in politics. Pruthvi's mother Jayanti Patnaik, a four-time MP, was the first chairperson of the National Commission for Women and also served as the president of AICC's women wing, Mahila Congress. Explaining his change of heart, Pruthvi cited his enhanced preparation and grassroots engagement in Begunia since 2022. ''I was then not prepared for the election. Now, I have prepared the ground and have been working with people at the grassroots level in Begunia since the 2022 panchayat polls. Our organisational base is quite strong now,'' he said.

He emphasised the growing disillusionment with both the ruling BJD and BJP, citing their failed alliance talks and delayed candidate announcements for Begunia.

Pruthvi asserted that the Congress is well-positioned to capitalise on this discontent, buoyed by strong grassroots support and a palpable desire for more accessible representation. ''We are certainly better placed. This is because the people have lost confidence on both the BJD and the BJP for their nexus. They first said that they would go for an alliance. So far, both the parties have failed to announce names of their candidate for Beguniua. We will perform well and win the polls with people's support,'' Pruthvi added.

Asked whether he was nominated by the party, Pruthvi said he had applied online for the party ticket. The Congress subsequently conducted a survey and finalised his candidature after a thorough assessment. He highlighted the disconnect between local BJD and BJP leaders and the constituency's needs, pledging to emulate his father's commitment to being present and accessible to the people.

''People want their MLA to be with them like my late father JB Patnaik. Now-a-days, people don't get an opportunity to see their MLA. During visits to village, I have been telling people that I will remain with them all along,'' he said.

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