Family can upset Giridhar

KORAPUT: In 2009, he had kicked up a storm within his party for promoting family politics and lost the Koraput Lok Sabha (LS) seat as majority of party workers revolted against him.
After five years, though former chief minister Giridhar Gamang did not get party tickets for his family members, still his family could upset his almost dream run, barring last poll debacle, to the Lower House for the 10th time as his wife Hema Gamang is contesting from Laxmipur assembly seat, which is a part of Koraput LS constituency, on a BJD ticket.
Political observers said the former CM is facing the same situation for which he lost the 2009 polls to BJD's Jayaram Pangi by over 60,000 votes.
"Last time his own party men voted against him as he had insisted on fielding a host of his family members and close acquaintances. He learnt a lesson from the 2009 defeat. Though this time the tribal leader didn't seek tickets for his family members, his wife is in the opposition camp and will be campaigning against him. This may divide the Congress votes," a political observer said. In 2009, Hema, son Sisir Gamang and private secretary K Nagraj Dora, who were contesting from Laxmipur, Gunupur and Jeypore assembly seats respectively, had miserably lost to their BJD rivals. Hema was the sitting MLA from Gunupur, and it was Sisir's and Nagraj's first appearance in the elections.
Though at that time several party leaders had resigned from Congress charging Gamang of promoting family politics, Congress to satisfy the tribal leader had given tickets to three of his relatives in out of the seven assembly segments under Koraput LS constituency.
Unfazed, the 71 year-old politician said his wife's switching over to BJD will not harm his winning prospects. "My wife is at liberty to decide what is right and wrong for her and accordingly she has decided.I am strict on principles and it will be a political fight. People know what I have done for my area and I am hopeful of winning the election," he said.
"There are allegations that I promoted family politics in the last elections, but this time I have not done that. Even if I lose, I will accept it gracefully," he added. Gamang was first elected to the fifth Lok Sabha in 1972. While Gamang had defeated Pangi in 1996 and 1998, Hema had defeated Pangi in the 1999. However, BJP's candidate for Koraput LS seat Siba Shankar Ulaka said after 2009, Gamang distanced himself from the people and only appeared when the elections drew near.