Debasis Marandi, Nepole Raghu Murmu, Ramchanda Hansda and Shyam Sunder Hansda

Forty-two-year-old Gudu Ram Tudu, a daily wager, sipped handia (a local rice-based brew) near Chhau Padia and appeared suitably impressed by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who addressed a rally in the town a few days ago.

“She is good and friendly. But we are yet to take a decision on who to vote for,” said Gudu as others sitting around him nodded in agreement. Evidently, these voters are either confused or keeping their cards close to the chest.

Chhau Padia was the venue of Sonia Gandhi’s April 11 meeting that had made quite an impact. But comparisons are being drawn between her and chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who offers the third alternative after BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

“Don’t think we are fools. We know what these leaders are doing. The three candidates, who are contesting from this Lok Sabha seat, will not make much of a difference to us. But we still have to choose one from among them,” said 22-year-old Basuram Patra, who is unemployed.

Political gossips float around the handia market and the Garma Garam restaurant, famous for its mudhi (puffed rice) and mutton. While some of them bet on Modi, others bet on Sonia. But there is a major a section who argue in support of Naveen saying he is providing them with rice at Re 1 a kg. The Opposition’s effort to make people aware that subsidised scheme was possible because of the Centre, has failed to make any impact.

The Congress has fielded a retired IPS officer, Shyam Sunder Hansda, while the ruling BJD’s candidate is an engineer and outgoing Saraskan MLA Ramchanda Hansda.

The BJP has fielded Nepole Raghu Murmu, the grandson of the late Pundit Raghunath Murmu, inventor of the Santali script, Alchiki. Murmu was a practising doctor before he jumped into the electoral politics and enjoys the goodwill of the local tribal people. JMM’s candidate Debasis Marandi was also a practising physician before joining politics.

The last time the Congress won the seat was in 1996 when Sushila Tiriya was elected on the party ticket. The BJP’s Salkhan Murmu represented the seat consecutively twice in 1998 and 1999. Later, Sudam Marandi won the seat in 2004 on a JMM ticket. In 2009, for the first time, BJD’s Laxman Tudu won the seat. Tudu, however, has been replaced with Ramchandra Hansda.

“The district is going to witness a big fight. It will be a triangular contest. All the parties have fielded literate candidates from the seat even though it’s a tribal-dominated district. Engineers and doctors are contesting from here for the Lok Sabha seat,” said Kabi Bishnu Satpathy, a local scribe.

Though the JMM is contesting, it is not likely to make any impact as the party has lost its strength after its state unit president Sudam Marandi, along with his followers, joined the BJD. He is contesting the election as the ruling party candidate from the Bangriposi Assembly seat.

In order to get back its stronghold, the JMM is giving it its best shot. Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, party head Sibu Soren and other party leaders visited the district and campaigned vigorously for their candidates.

While election to the Lok Sabha seat would be a triangular affair, in most of the seven Assembly segments, the main contest will be between the BJD and the Congress. However, the BJP may spring surprises on some seats.

The Mayurbhanj constituency has seven Assembly segments — Baripada, Morada, Jasipur, Udala, Rairangpur, Saraskana and Bangiriposi. Morada is the only general seat. The royal scion from Mayurbhanj, Praveen Chandra Bhanj Deo, is contesting from the Morada Assembly seat for the second time on a BJD ticket. Twenty-four candidates are contesting from this seat.

Deputy speaker Sananda Marandi, who enjoys a big support among the local residents, is contesting from the Baripada constituency. Former JMM president Sudam Marandi and general secretary Bhadav Hansda are trying their luck from Bangriposi and Sarskana Assembly seats respectively. Former BJP minister Golak Bihari Nayak is contesting from Udala on a BJD ticket. Nayak is facing a lot of trouble because he joined the BJD at the last moment. Besides, he is not on his home turf this time and the BJD MLA, Srinath Soren, whom he replaced, is also reportedly working against him.

Former minister Draupadi Murmu, who is contesting on a BJP ticket, is set to give a good fight to the BJD candidate on the Rairangpur Assembly seat. The Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) candidate and former MLA Sambunath Nayak is also set to give a tough fight to both the BJD and the BJP in the Jasipur Assembly seat.

• Mayurbhanj votes on April 17