But the entry of Hemananda Biswal of the Congress, who is a former Chief Minister and an ex-Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee chief, has upset the odds for him. The contest has thrust this low-profile western Orissa constituency into the limelight. Though Biswal was initially reluctant to jump into the fray, he had to bow to the wishes of the high command, and now it's a do-or-die battle.

Deogarh, the second largest constituency in the country in terms of area, is a picture of contrasts. It has segments like the tribal-dominated Laikera and Kuchinda where people live in abject poverty on one hand, while on the other there are the highly industrialisedbelts of Talcher and Brajarajnagar. The issues, obviously, vary widely -- from the demand for immediate provision of irrigation facilities to proper rehabilitation of oustees who made way for various industries, coal fields and multi-purpose dams.

Pradhan won from the seat in 1998 -- after three unsuccessful attempts -- beating Congress rival Sriballav Panigrahi. While Pradhan had polled 3,46,820 votes, Panigrahi and Janata Dal candidate Rabi Pani had got 2,41,393 and 55,208, respectively.

Though in 1998 Pradhan polled more votes than his rivals in the seven assembly segments, five of these are represented by the Congress and only two are with the BJP. The segments held by the Congress are: Laikera (Biswal himself), Jharsuguda, Pallahara, Kuchinda and Brajarajnagar. The BJP represents Deogarh and Talcher. But the reversal in Congress fortunes in the 1998 parliamentary polls has not been arrested yet.

The hopes of the Congress rest on Laikera, since it is the assembly segment Biswal has been representingfor long; Brajarajnagar, where the Communist Party of India has a strong base and is supporting the Congress; and Pallahara. The BJP, on the other hand, has kept both its bases intact and is expecting a sizable lead from Deogarh, Talcher and Kuchinda.

Observers feel Pradhan's confidence may be misplaced since Biswal's presence would consolidate the Congress votes among tribals and Dalits. Biswal is a prominent tribal leader and has a clean image. Besides, Janata Dal (S) leader Rabi Pani, who had won this seat in 1989, joined the Congress earlier this month, giving a boost to Biswal's campaign.

Pradhan dismisses these calculations, asserting that the Congress has a fixed vote-bank of about 2.5 lakhs while the anti-Congress vote is about four lakhs. The Congress, therefore, will not be able to bridge the gap even if there is consolidation of tribal and Dalit votes, he argues.

Both Pradhan and Biswal have to take into account the anti-incumbency factor. The Congress is the ruling party in the state anddefinitely handicapped on this score, but there is anger against the BJP too because of price rise.

What can go in favour of the BJP is the Kargil issue and the sympathy for Atal Behari Vajpayee arising from the manner in which his government was brought down. The crucial vote which sealed Vajpayee's fate was cast by Orissa Chief Minister Giridhar Gomang himself.

That the battle here has assumed a high-profile character is evident from the fact that national level leaders of the two parties have been campaigning here. AICC President Sonia Gandhi was the first to kick off the Congress campaign from Jharsuguda in this constituency on August 7, followed by AICC general secretaries Madhavrao Scindia and Pranab Mukherjee. Sonia Gandhi is scheduled to come here tomorrow, two days before the constituency goes to polls. The Prime Minister and BJP General Secretary Pramod Mahajan have pitched in for Pradhan. Vajpayee addressed a mammoth meeting at Talcher on September 18.

Others in the fray here are NarendraPradhan of Ajeya Bharat Party and Pascal Barla of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, besides two independents. It is, however, likely to be a straight contest with the prestige of two Oriya stalwarts at stake.