Bhubaneswar: The BJP today announced candidates for eight Assembly seats in Odisha. The party has given tickets to five leaders, who have recently joined the BJP after resigning/ expulsion from the BJD.
The BJP has nominated sitting MLA Seemarani Nayak, who recently joined the BJP after resigning from BJD, for Hindol constituency. She resigned from the BJD after the party denied tickets to her. The BJD has nominated Dhenkanal MP Mahesh Sahoo from the MLA seat this time.
The saffron party has fielded actor-turned politician and BJD organizational Secretary Pranab Prakash Das’s close relative Arindam Roy for Salipur Vidhan Sabha seat. Shri Roy also joined the BJP a few days ago after resigning from the ruling party.
Sitting MLA Prasanta Kumar Jagadev has been nominated by the BJP for Khurda MLA segment. After being expelled from the BJD, Jagadev joined the saffron camp. He has a strong hold in at least three constituencies of Khurda district.
Geetanjali Sethi, the Zilla Parishad Chairman of Kendrapara, would contest for Kendrapara MLA election this time from BJP ticket. Shrimati Sethi has very recently resigned from the BJD and switched over to the BJP.
Besides, the BJD has nominated Fakir Mohan Naik for Telkoi, Murali Manohar Sharma for Champua, Rabindra Andia for Basta and Banikalyan Mohanty for Basudevpur MLA seats.
The party has so far announced candidates for 140 MLA seats in the State. The party has yet to announce its nominees for Nilagiri, Bhograi, Bhandaripokhari, Begunia, Barabati-Cuttack, Bari, and Ghasipura.