Cuttack is one of the 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha, which falls under the Cuttack and Nayagarh districts. The Lok Sabha seat comprises the assembly segments of Baramba (BJP), Banki (BJD), Athagarh (BJD), Barabatti-Cuttack (Independent), Choudwar-Cuttack (BJD), Cuttack Sadar (BJD), and Khandapada (Independent).
Six-time MP Bhartruhari Mahtab won this constituency for the Biju Janata Dal in 2019 but he switched to the Bharatiya Janata Party this year. As a result, the seat has been deemed vacant. Mahtab has got the ticket from the BJP for the polls to be held here on May 25 in the sixth phase of the ongoing general elections, while Santrupt Mishra from the BJD is the other top contender.
Political dynamics
Advantage BJD in Cuttack: In Cuttack, the Biju Janata Dal holds an edge. However, the incumbent party is on shaky ground this time around, mostly because the BJP has emerged as a rising force in Odisha. Cuttack is no exception, and the saffron party is giving a tough fight to the BJD here.
The BJD seemingly suffered a loss when its incumbent MP, Bhartruhari Mahtab, quit the party and joined the BJP. However, this appears to be a loss only on the surface and in terms of optics. As it turns out, Mahtab is not a very popular figure on the ground. He is accused of being an absent MP who is hard to contact and reach out to, which has left many voters angry and flustered. This, in the initial phases of the election, was proving to be a sticky point for the BJD.
However, the BJD’s replacement for Mahtab, Santrupt Mishra, has recovered much of the ground that the party had lost here. Mishra is being recognised for his distinct style of communication and ability to reach out to voters, which has helped the BJD bounce back in the fight.
The fight in Cuttack is between the development and welfare model offered by the BJD and the one that the BJP brings to the table. There is no doubt that Cuttack, especially the city, has seen tremendous development and infrastructure building under the BJD government. However, there are exceptions to this development as well. These are found most commonly in the constituency’s rural areas, especially in the Cuttack Sadar segment, where decent roads are still hard to come by.
The BJD is fearful of a significant pro-BJP undercurrent sweeping it away at least in the Lok Sabha seats, if not across the assembly segments. Odisha’s electorate has, since 2019, garnered the reputation of being able to clearly distinguish between national and state elections, and who their choice remains for both of them.
For the BJD, chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s schemes and initiatives continue to pay considerable political dividends. In recent times, the BJD has turned its attention to the state’s youth, especially college students. In order to inculcate the party’s spirit and ideology in the youth, the BJD has been organising grand events and fests at colleges. Additionally, its promise of annual payouts for students, who are being promised a sum close to Rs 10,000, is expected to play a crucial role in this election. In many ways, in seats witnessing close contests, the youth voter could emerge as kingmaker.
Rise of the BJP: There is no doubt that the BJP is a rapidly growing force in Odisha. If 2019 was a trailer of what was to come, 2024 has become the first real test of whether the saffron party can actually emerge as the single-largest party at least in the Lok Sabha polls of the state.
In Cuttack, the BJP is today in a much stronger position and its graph is only rising. However, the party’s fortunes here rest squarely on the shoulders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is the biggest vote-catcher for the party in Odisha, and even though ground inputs suggest the BJD has an edge in the Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency, the situation may have changed a bit after Modi’s campaign here on May 20.
One of the biggest factors pulling the BJP’s prospects down is its choice of candidate. The saffron party has fielded BJD turncoat Bhartruhari Mahtab from Cuttack. Mahtab has been Cuttack’s MP since 1998 and faces a load of anti-incumbency apart from allegations of disappearing after winning every election. For the BJP, the challenge in this constituency is to convince the voters that they should ignore the candidate and vote solely for Prime Minister Modi. However, that might be a bit too much to ask for.
In Odisha, a rather frequently cited opinion is that voting for the BJP or BJD has become immaterial since Naveen Patnaik’s party supports the saffron camp in Parliament on all important issues. It is considered a de facto member of the NDA, and this time around, there are strong murmurs that the BJD will actually join the BJP’s alliance in Parliament after results are announced. As such, several voters provide this reasoning: ‘Even if we vote for the BJD, that is an indirect vote in favour of Narendra Modi and his government.’
However, there is also a visible mood for change. This is emerging as a popular sentiment, which can be gauged from the fact that the Prime Minister’s rallies and events here in recent months have been attracting many more people than the BJP itself had anticipated. Just prior to the elections, PM Modi was in the region for an event that witnessed double the crowd that the BJP had initially anticipated. While the BJP was hoping for about 2 lakh people to attend the event, the final numbers zoomed past 4 lakh. This is what has convinced the BJP that it now stands a real chance to alter the political situation in Odisha. A lot depends on what the magnitude of the undercurrent in favour of the BJP is. That there is a pro-saffron undercurrent is not in dispute.
The BJP’s biggest obstacle is that it has no organic leadership in Odisha, or for that matter, in Cuttack. Most of its leaders are BJD imports. This time, reports of considerable factionalism are also emerging from the party’s state units – all of which could negatively impact its performance.
Demographics
- Total voters: 15,19,363
- SC: 18.32%
- ST: 3.96%
- Hindu: 94.6%
- Muslim: 4.9%
Key issues
Roads: Issues regarding poor road infrastructure have been persistent in the region. The city’s existing roads are narrow and congested, often lacking adequate space for vehicles. This situation has been exacerbated by rapid urbanisation and an influx of people seeking employment, leading to increased traffic pressure. The city’s historic layout features narrow streets and lanes, which were designed for a different era and are now insufficient for the current volume of vehicular traffic. Additionally, many roads are pothole-ridden and damaged, creating hazards for drivers and pedestrians. These issues are particularly pronounced during the rainy season, when potholes fill with water. The condition of the Mahanadi Ring Road near SCB MCH parking and the Kathajodi Ring Road near Belleview Square has also deteriorated due to sand accumulation.
Water-logging: The city experiences widespread waterlogging issues, particularly in low-lying areas, following rainfall in the monsoons. Residents have criticised the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and Watco’s drainage division, which is overseeing the Box Drain Project, for its lack of preparedness. The ongoing Box Drain work in Makarabag is also blamed for exacerbating the situation. Areas like Patapola, Sutahat Tanti Sahi, and New Colony have experienced flooding, with rainwater and drain water entering homes. The problem is particularly acute in underdeveloped wards like Jagatpur, Nimpur, and Balikuda, where roads become waterlogged during the monsoon season, leading to concerns about sanitation and public health.
Sewage: Inadequate sewage management remains a major issue, particularly affecting six underdeveloped wards. These areas lack a proper drainage system, leading to frequent flooding and sewage overflow during the monsoon season. The lack of regular sanitation services from the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) further exacerbates the problem, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The exclusion of these wards from the JICA-funded Integrated Sanitation Improvement Project (ISIP) has left them without access to a comprehensive sewage system despite promises made in 2014. Additionally, encroachments near drainage channels further hinder proper sewage flow and exacerbate the situation.
Traffic Congestion: Cuttack faces a persistent problem with auto-rickshaw drivers disregarding traffic rules. They routinely engage in illegal parking, speeding, overloading, and dangerous driving, often carrying more passengers than allowed, creating traffic hazards and congestion. These issues are particularly prevalent at key transportation hubs like Badamabi bus stand, Cuttack Railway Station, and OMP Square bus stop, where drivers operate with impunity. Meanwhile, the Commissionerate Police has implemented a restriction on heavy vehicles from plying within the city limits between 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm to alleviate evening traffic congestion. However, road safety experts believe this measure is insufficient, citing the need for a longer restriction period and addressing the lack of adequate truck parking facilities.
Drinking Water: Cuttack is facing a growing drinking water scarcity problem, particularly in areas like Gobindpur in Tangi block. The issue is attributed to the lowering of groundwater levels due to mining activities by the Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) at Manduka Hill. Locals allege that the OMC’s operations have disrupted the water table, leading to dried-up wells and difficulty accessing groundwater. While OMC officials claim to be providing water through tankers, residents complain of inadequate supply. Similar concerns are also reported in Ekadal village in Narasinghpur block, where villagers are forced to walk long distances to collect water due to the lack of a tube well and inadequate water supply.
River Pollution: Another major issue in Cuttack that has miffed the voters is the discharge of untreated sewage water into a major distributary of the Mahanadi River. Concerns have been raised regarding the quality of water of the river at the area of discharge.
Voters also seek representatives who prioritise development initiatives, infrastructure improvements, and job creation. Issues such as healthcare accessibility, education reform, and environmental sustainability are also crucial concerns. Furthermore, voters are keen on candidates who demonstrate integrity, transparency, and accountability in governance.
Infrastructure development
Football Infrastructure: Rs 50 lakh has been sanctioned to develop the football stadium in Panchgaon. This will help in promoting grassroots development for the sport. In May last year, Patnaik also inaugurated three football training centres in Bhubaneswar before the Intercontinental Cup. These were Odisha Football Academy, Bhubaneswar Football Academy, and Capital Arena Football. They were developed at a total cost of Rs 90 crore.
Engineering Cluster: In 2021, it was announced that Cuttack will be home to India’s largest engineering cluster at the Indranipatna industrial area of Cuttack. The cluster will come up incorporating the existing MSMEs under the Micro and Small Enterprises-Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP) of the Centre. Six acres of land has been allocated by the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development and an estimated Rs 31 crore will be spent on creating the infrastructure and a further Rs 25 crore to equip machinery.
Greenfield Ring Road: The 111-km ring road was announced by union minister Nitin Gadkari in February this year. The project is expected to cost Rs 6,253 crore. This road will be divided into two packages and is expected to benefit the residents of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Khurda.
Cuttack-Sambalpur National Highway: Expansion work was completed in March on the 265 km NH 55 connecting Cuttack and Sambalpur, transforming it into a four-lane high-speed national highway. The project was completed at a cost of Rs 4,482 crore.
Railway Infrastructure: The doubling of the railway line, encompassing 12.77 km between Chudanga Garh and Barang and 3 km between Chudanga Garh and Barang, is a notable achievement. This also includes the doubling of three vital bridges over the Mahanadi, Kuakhai, and Kathajodi rivers. The introduction of the 68,433 mainline electric multiple unit (MEMU) train service in 2018, connecting Brahmapur and Cuttack, has significantly improved connectivity. This train service traverses through Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Puri, streamlining travel for passengers across these important cities. Furthermore, Cuttack Railway Station has seen significant modernisation with the provision of new escalators, a platform shelter, and a public address system. These upgrades ensure enhanced passenger comfort, safety, and convenience. The development of a circulating area at the second entry of Cuttack Railway Station and high-level platforms at 26 stations across the constituency has also made a significant impact.
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