Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi is an Indian politician affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He hails from Daspalla, a town in the Kandhamal district of Odisha. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 general elections, securing a significant victory by a margin of over 21,000 votes.
Education and Early Life
Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi holds a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Agriculture. This educational background suggests a strong foundation in agricultural sciences, which is significant given Odisha’s agrarian economy
Political Career
Panigrahi’s political journey saw him contesting the Kandhamal constituency in 2014, where he secured only about 12.95% of the votes, finishing in third place(
However, he made a comeback in 2024, where he garnered approximately 41.80% of the votes, indicating a substantial increase in support for the BJP in the region(
. His election is considered part of the BJP’s broader success in Odisha, where they won several seats in the same election
Significance
Panigrahi’s victory is notable not just for his individual success but also for the BJP’s increasing footprint in Odisha, a state traditionally dominated by other political parties. His educational background and focus on agricultural issues may resonate well with the constituents of Kandhamal, where agriculture plays a critical role in the economy.