International Journal of Academic Research ISSN: 2348-7666; Vol.4, Issue-5(1), May, 2017 Impact Factor: 4.535; Email:
[email protected] Sub Regionalism Politics in Odisha and Demand for Koshal State Dr. Dasarathi Bhuiyan, Assistant Professor, P.G. Department of Political Science, Berhampur University, Odisha Abstract: This paper examines the rise of regionalism in Odisha. As a state, Odisha is one of the most backward regions in India. The process of development becomes extremely significant in the context of intra-regional disparities. Against this backdrop, regionalism continues to thrive in western Odisha due to regional cleavages and prevalence of socio-economic disparities and political inequalities. Key words: historical experience, cultural practices, dialectal/speech forms I. Introduction regional polarisation of politics was very much reflected in the elections to the The present state of Odisha Odisha Legislative Assembly. As contains three geographically distinct discussed above during the 1950’s the regional units, namely, coastal belt, regional political parties, namely, the southern and western region, which Ganatantra Parishad (GP) and later the differ in respect of historical experience, Swatantra party polarised politics in cultural practices, dialectal/speech forms, Odisha along regional lines. The political advantages and socio-economic Congress was seen as a party largely development. After the reorganisation of identified with the interests of coastal districts in Odisha in 1993 the coastal Odisha, and the GP/Swatantra was region comprises the new districts of associated with the interests of western Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jajpur, Odisha. From 1952 to 1974, the Congress Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, and its splinter groups Jana Congress Khordha, Nayagarh, the south Odisha and Utkal Congress secured maximum comprises of Ganjam, Gaiapati, seats from coastal districts, while Kandhamal, Koraput, Rayagarda, GP/Swatantra scored very well in the Nawarangapur, Malkangiri; whereas the western region (Ray 1974).