Bhubaneswar: The Congress party today announced candidates for 75 Assembly seats in Odisha replacing three already announced candidates.
The party has replaced the candidates for Talsara, Baliguda and Kabisuryanagar MLA seats.
In place of former hockey player Prabodh Tirkey, the party has named Debendra Bhitaria for Talsara MLA seat while Upendra Pradhan has been nominated for Baliguda Assembly segment in place of Surada Pradhan. Bipin Bihari Swain is the new candidate for Kabisuryanagar Assembly constituency. Shri Swain replaced Chiranjeevi Bisoyi.
The AICC has picked up some senior leaders and their family members for the upcoming Assembly election in the State.
Former Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Presidents Niranjan Patnaik and Jaydev Jena have been nominated for Bhndareipokhari and Anandapur Assembly constituencies, respectively while senior party leader and ex-MLA Debasish Pattnaik has been re-nominated from Banki MLA seat.
Former Chief Minister JB Patnaik’s son Pruthvi Ballav Patnaik will contest the election from Begunia constituency. The party has named Sushmita Singh Deo, a close relative of former Union Minister KP Singhdeo for Dhenkanal MLA segment.
The party has dropped sitting MLA Suresh Routray as it has announced retirement from electoral politics. After Khariar MLA Adhiraj Panigrahi’s exit from the party, Congress nominated fresh candidate Kamal Charan Tandi for the seat.
Former Aul MLA Debendra Sharma’s daughter Debasmita Sharma has been nominated in place of her father. Asit Patnaik, who recently joined the Congress after resigning from BJD, has been nominated for Bhadrak assembly segment.
The Congress has named Rajanikanta Padhi as its candidate from Hinjili assembly segment from where BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik is a candidate.
With this the Congress has announced names of 119 candidates in the State. The party has vacated two seats for CPI (M) and JMM as part of the INDI alliance.