Odisha’s Biggest election loser Shyam Babu bedridden

Berhampur: Politics is always interesting and in Odisha, the drama never seems to cease when leaders are busy in fence jumping as they normally run after success during polls. But meet 88-year-old K Shyam Babu Subudhi, called ‘King Robert Bruce’ in Odisha politics, a certified Homoeopath of Berhampur. He has an undeterred spirit to contest polls. He has been contesting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections for the last 67 years and has lost his deposits in all the polls. Though he is now bedridden, he remains unperturbed. But his undeterred spirit to fight the 2024 polls looks uncertain. His mission though is to fight corruption in the country.

According to his family members, though he wishes to contest the 2024 polls, his body doesn’t permit it. Subudhi also suffers from memory loss besides old age complications.

Born on January 7, 1936, Subudhi first entered the poll arena from Hinjili Assembly segment in 1957 against former minister and political stalwart Brundaban Nayak. Till now, he has contested 10 times in Aska Lok Sabha constituency, nine times in Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency, five times in Hinjili Assembly constituency, twice in Berhampur Assembly constituency, twice in Kabisurya Nagar Assembly constituency and once in Begunia Assembly constituency.

Over the years, he has lost to several political heavyweights, including former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao, former chief ministers Biju Patnaik, J B Patnaik and Binayak Acharya in different polls. In 1996, he contested against ex-prime minister Narasimha Rao for Berhampur seat. Subudhi polled 8,084 votes (1 per cent) in Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency during the 2019 elections when Chandrasekhar Sahu of BJD won by securing 4,43,843 votes. He polled 3,393 votes during 2014 election for Berhampur Lok Sabha seat when Sidhant Mohapatra of BJD won the seat by securing 3,98,107 votes. In 2019, Subudhi polled 7,476 votes in Aska Lok Sabha election when Pramila Bisoyi of BJD won the seat by securing 5,52,749 votes. In 2014, Subudhi secured 5,293 votes against Ladu Kishore Swain of BJD, who won Aska Lok Sabha seat by securing 5,41,473 votes.

Subudhi has lost lakhs of rupees in more than six decades for nomination fees to contest elections. His earnings apparently come from practising homoeopathy. His ancestral property ensures that he is never short of money to fight elections.

The ‘King Robert Bruce’ in Odisha politics, Subudhi rode bicycle through the streets and addressed voters on a trolley rickshaw while campaigning. He was usually seen campaigning on his bicycle and wearing black coat. His campaign style was frugal and lacked the pomp and ostentation usually associated with elections.

People call him a maverick. Many think he is an old man obsessed with getting into the Guinness Book of Records as the man who has contested the most elections. Others think he is fighting for fun.

“People are fed up with the current crop of leaders, who switch parties when they are not given a ticket by their own party. They have seen that I am the only person who has steadfastly refused to join any political party. I am in electoral politics because I want to end corruption in the country”, he had said earlier.