SAMBALPUR: In the months leading up to the elections, the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh had hogged the limelight with the BJD, BJP and Congress trying to outdo each other in getting people’s support to the cause. Protest marches were held, slogans raised and letters exchanged to highlight the injustice being done to Odisha with Chhattisgarh building dams on the river, which in turn is reducing the flow of water to the state.

Considered Odisha’s lifeline, Mahanadi river has direct and indirect influence on the life and livelihood in 16 of the state’s 30 districts. But the water sharing dispute is particularly pertinent to Sambalpur where life revolves around the Mahanadi.

But ever since election campaign started, Mahanadi, somehow, has been pushed to the backseat. Instead, the narrative is being dominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Naveen Patnaik. While Modi talks patriotism, the BJD highlights the changes the Naveen government has brought to the state.

From Modi to BJP leaders, the favourite topic at any public rally is Balakot, India’s befitting reply to Pakistan after a terrorist strike in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir killed 40 CRPF personnel. Meanwhile, in pre-recorded audio-visual message being played on LED screens in mobile vans, Naveen is seen talking about Centre’s alleged indifference to natural disasters in Odisha, conspiracy to stall cash disbursal under Kalia scheme and the chief minister’s commitment to 4.5 crore people of Odisha.

A P Padhi, a retired professor of political science from Sambalpur, said one of the main reasons why BJD may have stopped talking about Mahanadi is the change of government in Chhattisgarh last year. “Politically, the BJD tried to corner the BJP by highlighting Chhattisgarh’s attempts at obstructing the Mahanadi waterflow when Raman Singh was chief minister. But after the Congress took over, the situation seems to have changed,” Padhi said.

Sambalpur is one of the biggest cities on the banks of the Mahanadi and located around 12 km from Hirakud dam, it has always been at the epicentre of movements relating to the river. Large tracts of agricultural land in Sambalpur is irrigated from Hirakud water through the Sason canal and any fear of reduced water flow may have a direct impact on the same.

Protesting against then Chhattisgarh chief minister’s visit to Odisha in February 2017 to campaign for panchayat election, the BJD had organised a massive ‘jal satyagraha’ in which protesters stood in neck-deep water for hours. In the panchayat election, the BJD had used the Mahanadi dispute as a major poll plank.

In May last year, Mahanadi Surakhaya Samiti, an apolitical forum led by then Congress working president Naba Kishore Das (now in BJD), had held a huge public meeting besides a discussion in Sambalpur to find out possible solution to the Mahanadi dispute. But that was then.

Ranjan Panda, a water rights activist based in Sambalpur, said issues such as Mahanadi generally do no become poll issues. “Naveen, for example, has talked about his government’s efforts to include Sambalpuri language in the 8th schedule of the Constitution. This election campaign is driven around personalities of Modi and Naveen. Not just Mahanadi, issues like agrarian distress too have been pushed to the backburner,” Panda observed.

Also, since the water sharing row is with the Mahanadi River Disputes Tribunal, no party would get political dividend by talking about it now, he added.

In its last hearing on March 30, the tribunal has asked both Odisha and Chhattisgarh to hold talks and settle the issue amicably. The next hearing in the case is May 11.

The BJD has fielded bureaucrat-turned politician Nalini Kanta Pradhan from the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat, replacing sitting MP Nagendra Pradhan. Nalini faces BJP’s Nitesh Ganga Deb, MLA from Deogarh in the outgoing assembly, and Sarat Patnaik of the Congress, a former two-time MP.

BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said it would be improper to say the BJD has moved away from the Mahanadi issue. “Mahanadi is not just constricted to elections. It relates to Odisha’s life and livelihood in at least 16 of the 30 districts. So, the BJD will never ever sidestep Mahanadi dispute till it reaches a logical conclusion and Odisha gets its rightful share,” Sasmit said.

He said that the Supreme Court ordered the Centre to form a tribunal against its wishes shows that the BJD’s fight is on the right track. “The BJD will continue fighting for the cause till Odisha gets justice,” Sasmit added.

Sarat said the Congress has already said the Mahanadi dispute would be settled amicably if the party is voted to power in Odisha. “The BJP and the BJD had tried to exploit the issue politically. If Congress comes to power, the issue will be resolved amicably,” he said.

Nitesh Ganga Deb said the BJP’s stand is very clear. “The party will never compromise with the interest of Odisha on Mahandi,” he said.

The Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat comprises Kuchinda, Rengali, Sambalpur, Rairakhol, Deogarh, Chhendipada and Athmallik assembly segments spread over Sambalpur, Deogarh and Angul districts and will go to polls on April 23.

