The contest in the ten constituencies is likely to be mainly between the BJP-BJD combine and Congress, even though some smaller parties like BSP, Shiva Sena, JMM, CPI(M) have fielded their candidates. On Saturday, the fate of Union minister for state for surface transport Debendra Pradhan, state Congress president Hemananda Biswal, former Union railways minister, Bhakta Charan Das, chief minister Giridhar Gamang's wife Hema Gomang, former Union information and broadcasting minister K P Singh Deo, BJP state president Jual Oram, and former Union minister Krupasindhu Bhoi, besides three former Orissa ministers would be decided. Former MPs, who are seeking elections are Sangeeta Kumari Singhdeo (Bolangir), Bikram Keshri Deo (Kalahandi), Prasanna Acharya (Sambalpur) and Padmanav Behera (Phulbani) besides Mrutunjaya Nayak (Phulbani) and Sarat Chandra Patnaik (Bolangir).

However, BJP's prospects looks up in constituencies like Bolangir, Sundergarh, Kalahandi, Keonjhar and Nowrangpur, while its partner BJD seems to be having an edge over Congress in Phulbani and Sambalpur. BJP is likely to make inroads into Congress strongholds like Nowrangpur this time. In the absence of veteran politician Khagapati Pradhani (Cong), BJP nominee Parsuram Majhi is poised for a victory. In that case, Majhi would break the Congress victory rally in the constituency as it had won the seat for nine times in a row. On the other hand, the Congress is trying hard to snatch away the Dhenkanal and Deogarh seats from BJD while retaining its Koraput and Nowrangpur seats. Given the anti-establishment mood of the voters and turmoil within Congress, it was expected at the time of announcement of the poll dates that the BJP-BJD combine would improve its tally. The BJP-BJD, which had 16 MPs in the 12th Lok Sabha, had won eight of the 10 constituencies last time. Riding the pro-Vajpayee sympathy wave, thecombine was expected to make a clean sweep this time in the ten hilly constituencies, mostly dominated by adivasis and Harijans.

But, the NDA candidates are facing challenges from Congress in Deogarh and Koraput. In Deogarh, the Union surface transport minister, Debendra Pradhan is pitted against Congress stalwart Hemananda Biswal. Pradhan is fighting a close battle in the constituency to retain the seat. In Koraput, BJD's Jayram Pangi is facing an uphill task to snatch away the seat from the Congress. Pangi, a former minister and a veteran politician, is finding it difficult even though the Congress nominee, Hema Gomang, is a green horn in politics. In Dhenkanal, the presence of BJP rebel Rudra Narayan Pani has marginalised the winning prospects of BJD nominee Tathagat Satpathy. The division of anti-Congress votes is likely to see KP Singh Deo (Cong), a winner at the hustings.

Meanwhile, the state electoral authorities have made all the arrangements for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the elections in the state. Over 1.12 crore voters will exercise their franchise, spreading over the 10 constituencies.

``Keeping in view the Naxalites' poll boycott calls in Koraput and Nowarangpur, and the communal tension in Keonjhar and Phulbani, elaborate security arrangements have also been made in the constituencies'', chief electoral officer, Ardhendu Sekher Sarangi, told The Financial Express, ``we have 4,871 polling military forces and 65 platoons of state armed police'', he said. According to him, no poll-related violence has been reported so far from any part of the state. The remaining 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in coastal Orissa would go to polls on October 3.