Bibhu Prasad Tarei and (below) Kulamani Samal

Paradip, March 28: Family ties lie severed as Congress candidate Bibhu Prasad Tarei is fighting against his maternal uncle Kulamani Samal, the BJD candidate, from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha constituency.

“The uncle and nephew will be indulging in mudslinging during the campaign. The relationship between Tarei and his uncle Kulamani Samal, a retired physician, has already been strained as they are pitted against each other in the election,” said Paradip resident Sarat Sahoo, who is an election enthusiast.

But when asked whom his mother was supporting, Tarei retorted: “She is supporting me only.”

“Both Tarei and Samal entered the election ring to fight each other for the first time. The bond of blood is thicker in politics. The contest has drawn plenty of interest among the voters,” said Jagatsinghpur resident Bijaya Tarei.

However, Samal seeks to play down what apparently looks like that the duo are all set to indulge in mudslinging in the election battlefield. “Bibhu Prasad Tarei’s mother is my sister. Voters should understand that it is a political contest and not a fight. We’re not angry with each other,” BJD candidate Samal said.

But, most voters appear to consider the contest as a kin war. “It’s a fight between a uncle and his nephew and a lot of people are excited, looking forward to seeing it,” said Ashok Sahoo, a tea stall owner of Jagatsinghpur.

The Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha constituency stands out among all the segments as it is the largest parliamentary seat in the state — which covers Jagatsinghpur, apart from a portion of both Cuttack and Puri. The areas of this largest Lok Sabha constituency spreads from Paradip port town in Jagatsinghpur district to the famous Sun Temple at Konark in Puri district.

Tarei had won the seat in the last Lok Sabha elections by defeating Congress leader Rabindra Sethi. At that time, the CPI was the BJD’s poll partner. But this time, the alliance broke and Tarei left the CPI to join the Congress.

The CPI supported anti-Posco movement by organising demonstrations, roadblocks in the proposed steel plant site area. This had led to friction between the BJD and the CPI.

While the CPI’s lone MP joined the Congress, its lone MLA Adikanda Sethi switched over to the BJD.

The Chhatrapur MLA, however, was not accommodated in the list of ruling party nominees.

BJD candidate Samal, who has spent most of his career in Jagatsinghpur district as a physician, is a retired doctor and a board member of the Paradip Port Trust.