There is this official BJP-BJD alliance candidate Tathagat Satpathy. And countering him is Rudra Narayan Pani-a BJP rebel in fray as an Independent candidate. Both are desperately trying to appropriate the Vajpayee `wave'. Who's going to get the better of it? Around this question is woven the constituency's campaign process.

Pani, who was till recently the BJP state secretary, had introduced BJP to the people in this constituency and worked hard to build up BJP's base here. Contesting from this seat, Pani had polled 79,000 votes in 1996 Lok Sabha elections, a time when BJP was no great force in Orissa.

having failed to get ticket this time round, Pani turned a rebel. He, however, dislike to be levelled as rebel. "I am still a loyal soilder of BJP and a strong follower of Vajpayee, sayshe.

Though Pani has been expelled from BJP for six years, people in Dhenkanal are reluctant to take it seriously. "BJP and Pani cannot live separately in this constitutency," says Bimal Padhi, an advocate in Dhenkanal town. The state BJP is in fact backing the candidature of Pani.

Knowing well that there is a Vajpayee `wave' in the state, both Pani and Tathagat are trying hard to project themselves as the real Vajpayee nominee. Pani's presence has no doubt diminished the chances of Tathagat, son of former Congress chief minister Nandini Satpathy. What may be unnerving for the BJD candidate is that the voters are not able to distinguish between the official alliance candidate and the Independent. Such was the desperation of the BJD nominee that he had to invite the Prime Minister to address an election meeting at Anugul, the city known for the location of Nalco's aluminium smelter. Dhenkanal is the only BJD constituency in Orissa where the Prime Minister addressed an election meeting.

That Vajpayee hadto come all the way to Dhenkanal and clarify that he is not supporting the candidature of Pani indicates that the latter is making an effective campaign in the constituency.

"Give me votes and also some notes," Pani tells voters at his election meetings. Money comes promptly. People liberally donate to his election fund. At a meeting at Anugul, a herd of college students collected about Rs 20,000 for him. But notes are no votes.

"BJD will have to pay for not conceding the seat to BJP," says Pabitra Patnaik, a shopkeeper and BJP sympathiser at Gondia, a small town in the constituency. Variation of this sentiment becomes more visible in the area where BJP has a better organisational network.

Pani's presence has made Dhenkanal the focus of public and media attention. In a triangular contest, Pani has at least made the going easy for the Congress nominee and the former Union minister KP Singh Deo. Last year, Singh Deo lost the seat to Satpathy by a margin of about 33,000 votes in a straight contest. Adivision in anti-Congress votes will ensure victory for the Congress this year.

"Everything is possible here. Pani may turn out to be the sole depository of the Vajpayee votes. Satpathy may eat into some Congress votes for his mother is openly soliciting votes for him," cautions a Singh Deo campaign manager. The scion of the erstwhile princely state is taking Pani as seriously as Satpaty.

Going to polls on September 25, Dhenkanal is heading for a critical three-way fight with advantage clearly lying with the Congress.