BHUBANESWAR: Come elections, the house of Katokata Shyambabu Subudhi would be abuzz with excitement as he was hell bent on contesting polls, be it assembly or Lok Sabha. But the scene is quiet this time. The 89-year-old retired homeopathy doctor, who earned a dubious distinction of being the “biggest election loser” of Odisha, is set to hang up his boots for once and for all.
Shyambabu, who unsuccessfully contested as an independent nominee in at least 32 elections including Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and assembly from 1961 to 2019, is suffering from multiple ailments, including memory loss.
A native of Berhampur in Ganjam district, he is the only man in Odisha who contested the highest number of elections (more than 12 assembly and 8 Lok Sabha) and lost them all.
“We feel sorry for our father, who may not contest this time. He is completely bedridden and cannot remember anything,” Subudhi’s youngest son, Prasanta Subudhi, told TOI.
Shyambabu, for whom contesting elections was more than a passion, is not even aware that the elections in Odisha will be held on May 13, 20, 25 and June 1.
According to the data available with the Election Commission, Shyambabu unsuccessfully debuted from Hinjili assembly segment in 1961 and Aska Lok Sabha seat in 1977. Contesting against stalwarts like former PM P V Narasimha Rao from Odisha’s Berhampur Lok Sabha seat in 1996 and late chief minister Biju Patnaik from Aska Lok Sabha seat the same year, he had polled only 3188 (Aska) and 2397 (Berhampur) votes.
Despite losing security deposits in all elections, Shyambabu never backtracked from jumping in the poll fray year after year. He again unsuccessfully fought from Hinjili in 1971, 1974, 1977 and 1995. Shyambabu also lost Kabisuryanagar and Berhampur assembly seats in 1985 and 1990, respectively.
In his first Lok Sabha election from Aska in 1977, Shyambabu polled only 7042 votes. He went on contesting unsuccessfully from Aska Lok Sabha seat in 1980, 1984 and 1989. Shyambabu fought from two Lok Sabha seats–Aska and Berhampur—simultaneously in 1991, 1996, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019 general elections.
For strange reasons, Shyambabu never contested against chief minister Naveen Patnaik in the Hinjili assembly segment from where he has been winning since 2000. Shyambabu, however, only once unsuccessfully contested against Naveen (who was then in Janata Dal) in the byelection for Aska Lok Sabha seat in May 1997. He had polled only 5326 votes. Though Naveen had successfully contested from Aska Lok Sabha seat as a BJD nominee in 1998 and 1999, Shyambabu refrained from filing his nominations.
Shyambabu, who unsuccessfully contested as an independent nominee in at least 32 elections including Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and assembly from 1961 to 2019, is suffering from multiple ailments, including memory loss.
A native of Berhampur in Ganjam district, he is the only man in Odisha who contested the highest number of elections (more than 12 assembly and 8 Lok Sabha) and lost them all.
“We feel sorry for our father, who may not contest this time. He is completely bedridden and cannot remember anything,” Subudhi’s youngest son, Prasanta Subudhi, told TOI.
Shyambabu, for whom contesting elections was more than a passion, is not even aware that the elections in Odisha will be held on May 13, 20, 25 and June 1.
According to the data available with the Election Commission, Shyambabu unsuccessfully debuted from Hinjili assembly segment in 1961 and Aska Lok Sabha seat in 1977. Contesting against stalwarts like former PM P V Narasimha Rao from Odisha’s Berhampur Lok Sabha seat in 1996 and late chief minister Biju Patnaik from Aska Lok Sabha seat the same year, he had polled only 3188 (Aska) and 2397 (Berhampur) votes.
Despite losing security deposits in all elections, Shyambabu never backtracked from jumping in the poll fray year after year. He again unsuccessfully fought from Hinjili in 1971, 1974, 1977 and 1995. Shyambabu also lost Kabisuryanagar and Berhampur assembly seats in 1985 and 1990, respectively.
In his first Lok Sabha election from Aska in 1977, Shyambabu polled only 7042 votes. He went on contesting unsuccessfully from Aska Lok Sabha seat in 1980, 1984 and 1989. Shyambabu fought from two Lok Sabha seats–Aska and Berhampur—simultaneously in 1991, 1996, 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019 general elections.
For strange reasons, Shyambabu never contested against chief minister Naveen Patnaik in the Hinjili assembly segment from where he has been winning since 2000. Shyambabu, however, only once unsuccessfully contested against Naveen (who was then in Janata Dal) in the byelection for Aska Lok Sabha seat in May 1997. He had polled only 5326 votes. Though Naveen had successfully contested from Aska Lok Sabha seat as a BJD nominee in 1998 and 1999, Shyambabu refrained from filing his nominations.