Odisha’s tribal leader, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, of Indian National Congress (INC) is leading the Koraput Lok Sabha constituency. The Congress veteran is currently in the lead with 84,653 votes securing total of 3,23,898 votes in the heartland of the tribal community in Odisha. Kausalya Hikaka from BJD is in the second place, having secured 2,39,245 votes.  BJP’s Kaleram Majhi is the third on the run with16,40,60 votes.

Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka is a tribal Indian politician hailing from Rayagada, Koraput. He was elected to the 17th Lok Sabha, lower house of the Parliament from the constiteuncy in the 2019 general election. It is to be noted that currently, he is the only member from Odisha Conress in the Lok Sabha. Hailing from a politically active family of South Odisha, Saptagiri belong to the Jatapu community. His father Ramachandra Ulaka was a two-time MP from Koraput, seven-time MLA from Rayagada.    Saptagiri’s mother Ratnamani Ulaka is a member of AICC and State vice President of Odisha Mahila Congress. Saptagiri is a software engineer by profession, who is working as a Senior Project Manager, Infosys in the United States of America.

Koraput was a bastion of Indian National Congress till 2009. Giridhar Gamag has represented this constituency for a record 9 times. In Lok Sabha elections 2019, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka of INC party won with the margin of 3,70,434 votes. The runner up was Kausalya Hikaka of BJD party. The margin of victory was 3,622 votes.

In the Lok Sabha election of 2014, Jhina Hikaka of BJD party won by defeating INC’s Giridhar Gamang with the margin of 19,328 votes.  3,94,770 votes.

(This story is part of a Timeline. internship project.)