Kosala Kranti Dal to contest LS, assembly polls

Merinews, 17th March, 2009

Some leaders of western Orissa have been demanding a politically separate Kosala state because of cultural uniformity. The movement had earlier failed to gain large-scale popularity but the momentum has changed dramatically.

KOSALA KRANTI Dal (KKD), a newly formed regional party based in Western Orissa, has decided to contest six Lok Sabha and 41 assembly seats in the coming polls with an agenda of “formation of Kosala state”.
The party is aiming to form a separate state comprising ten districts of western Orissa in a democratic way, hence, it has decided to contest this year’s poll, said the party Secretary General Baidyanath Mishra.
The party had been decided to fight the general election alone. But KKD may go for adjustment with political parties with an aim of their support for a separate statehood, he said.
Mishra said that it will also oppose any move to construct Manibhadra dam, protect land and forest, provide water for irrigation from Hirakud reservoir and demand a bench of Orissa High Court in the region to protect the interest of the farmers and working class.
Kosala Kranti Dal has been demanding a separate state comprising Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sonepur, Boudh, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada and Athmallick sub-division of the Angul district.
Mishra said the party would contest Lok Sabha seats of Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Boudh, Phulbani, Bargarh, Bolangir and Kalahandi. And the names of the candidates will be announced shortly.
Some people of this region have been demanding a politically separate Kosala state from Orissa because of cultural uniformity in terms of demography and lifestyle. The movement has failed to gain large-scale popularity so far. But the momentum changed dramatically with the formation of a regional political party called Kosala Kranti Dal (KKD), which will fight for a separate Kosala state in a democratic way by participating in the general elections.