Ganesh Chandra Jena, a small-time businessman from Bahanga in Balasore, is quite disheartened by the imposition of GST on every item.

Jena is happy that Rahul Gandhi has consistently raised the issue of GST at his election meetings, the issue of the common man. Rahul visited Balasore district on Thursday, the last day of the campaign for the final phase of elections, on June 1.

Bahanga was the site of the train accident on June 2, 2023, in which 296 people were killed. Though Bahanaga falls under the Balasore district, it is a part of the Bhadrak Lok Sabha constituency. Along with Balasore, the five other Lok Sabha constituencies — Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Jagatsingpur, and Kendrapara — will go to the poll on June 1.

Rahul Gandhi addressing a public meeting at Jamujhadi in Balasore on Thursday.The

“The Centre is exploiting the common and lower-middle-class people through taxation. The business has suffered due to the GST. There is GST on matches, too. How many days will we continue to fight on the caste line? We want our economy to be revived. Let the ‘Accha din come back,’” rued Jena, 53.

Rahul addressed a meeting at Jamujhadi in Balasore district on Thursday while Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Balasore, Mayurbhanj, and Kendrapara on Wednesday. BJD chief strategist V.K. Pandian on Thursday also visited both Balasore and Bhadrak districts.

While Modi targeted Naveen on his health issues and “Odia Asmita (Odia pride)”, Rahul on Thursday raked up the issue of GST affecting the commoner, the tacit understanding between the BJD and the BJP, MSP for farmers, saving the spirit of Constitution, making Lakhpati Didis, giving jobs to youths. He also raised the issue of how the BJP MP candidate from Puri, Sambit Patra insulted Odias by saying that Lord Jagannath was a devotee of Modi. (Worthwhile to mention Patra later admitted that it was slip of tongue.)

On the other hand, the BJP is trying to win the Lok Sabha polls by emphasizing the issue of Odia Asmita (Odia Pride), the missing key of Puri Jagannath Temple Ratna Bhandar (treasure trove), and how a group of officers has hijacked the Odisha administration.

However, Dr Harish Behera, a retired professor at Fakir Mohan University, argued that the issue of “Odia Pride” will not be a factor in the election. “Development should be an election agenda,” Behera argued.

The BJD is trying to win the election showcasing the state government’s good
work, such as the renovation of the left canal of the Salandi river, the ₹16crore allocation for the development of Balasore’s tourist spot at Panchalingeswar and the formation of a special council development for the welfare of the tribal people. Besides, the party is consistently raising the issue of how the Centre has failed to rein in the price rise of essential commodities, causing misery to the middle class.

Balasore is witnessing a triangular contest with the BJP’s Pratap Sarangi locking horns with the BJD’s Lekhashree Samantasinghar and the Congress’s Srikant Jena, a former Union minister.

Lekhashree, a BJP turncoat who joined the BJD, has not been well-received by the people. Though there is public anger against sitting MP Pratap Sarangi, Modi’s popularity may help Sarangi overcome the tide against him. “Here, the election is fought on two issues —development and Paribartan (change),” said Sibdas Kundu, a political observer from Balasore.

Srikanta Jena, an old war horse, had won the seat for the Congress in 2009. Giant billboards carrying pictures of various projects undertaken by Jena during his tenure as an MP, are seen all over the Balasore district. “Srikant can pose a serious challenge to both the BJD and the BJP,” said Kundu.