Odisha: BJD opts for fresh faces in first list of candidates for LS polls

The ruling Biju Janata Dal in Odisha on Wednesday introduced the primary checklist of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha and meeting polls by opting to allot tickets to new faces and change those that contested within the 2019 parliamentary polls.

The announcement comes 4 days after the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP) declared its candidates for 18 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha.

Of the 21 LS seats, candidates of 9 constituencies, together with the politically vital Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar and Kendrapara, had been introduced by the regional social gathering.

The BJD’s technique, so far as the meeting seats, is in sharp distinction to the number of candidates for LS seats with a large chunk of outdated faces re-nominated to battle the polls. The state accounts for 147 seats within the meeting, with the social gathering declaring nominees for 71 seats.

Notably, the BJP is but to come back out with its checklist of meeting candidates. The Congress, sustaining ‘wait and watch’ of the BJP and BJD’s strikes, has additionally not introduced its candidates for the dual polls.

The Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has fielded Pranab Prakash Das from Sambalpur, Dilip Tirkey from Sundargarh, Sudam Marndi from Mayurbhanj, Anshuman Mohanty from Kendrapara, Pradeep Majhi from Nabarangpur, Manmath Routray from Bhubaneswar, Kausalaya Hikaka from Koraput, Ranjita Sahoo from Aska, and Lambodar Nial from Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituencies.

The social gathering has additionally fielded organizational secretary and Jajpur MLA of the outgoing Meeting, Pranab Prakash Das from Sambalpur LS seat to lock horns with BJP candidate and Union minister Drarmemdra Pradhan from the celebrated seat in western Odisha.

The social gathering has nominated Manmath Routray, a political greenhorn and son of veteran Congress chief Suresh Routray, from Bhubaneswar LS seat. The BJP has re-nominated Aparajita Sarangi as its candidate for the seat. Curiously, hours after Routray joined the social gathering on Wednesday, the BJD nominated him for the LS ticket.

Dilip Tirkey, former captain of the Indian hockey workforce and Rajya Sabha member, is fielded by the regional social gathering from Sundargarh LS seat to battle the electoral battle in opposition to BJP heavyweight and former Union minister Jual Oram.