Bhubaneswar: BJD Supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced three more MLA candidates for ensuing Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections in the State.
The BJD has nominated journalist Goutam Buddha Das for Bhograi MLA segment while former Congress leader Pradeep Kumar Sahoo has been given ticket for Begunia seat.
Sitting MLA from Begunia, Rajendra Kumar Sahoo has been shifted to Khurda Assembly segment. Rajendra has a strong hold in Khurda Assembly constituency as he has won the seat twice in 2009 as an independent candidate and in 2014 from BJD. So, the party has again sent him to Khurda for a sure win, party sources said.
The ruling party has denied tickets to two sitting MLAs—Jyotirindra Nath Mitra (Khurda) and Ananta Das (Bhograi).
Pradeep Kumar Sahoo had contested for Begunia MLA segment in 2019 from Congress ticket and remained in second position with nearly 54,000 votes. Resigning from Congress, Pradeep joined the BJD in November 2021.
The regional party has yet to announce its candidates for Korei, Khandapada, and Nilgiri Assembly segments.