BJD releases first list of candidates for LS and Assembly seats

Bhubaneswar: Ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced the first list of candidates for 72 Assembly and nine parliamentary constituencies in the state for the simultaneous elections scheduled from May 13.

The party has fielded Pranab Prakash Das from Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency replacing Nalini Kanta Pradhan.

The Sambalpur parliamentary constituency will witness an intense fight as the Bharatiya Janata Party has already announced the name of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for the seat.

Similarly, veteran hockey player and former Indian hockey team captain Dilip Tirkey will contest the elections from Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency against former Union minister and senior BJP leader Jual Oram.

The BJD has fielded Anshuman Mohanty from Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency replacing popular Odia cine star Anubhav Mohanty. Anshuman will face BJP’s national vice-president and former MP Baijayant Panda in the elections.

In a surprise move, the BJD has announced Manmath Routray, son of veteran Congress leader Sura Routray, as candidate from high profile Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency. Manmath’s name was announced just hours after he formally joined the party on Wednesday. He will contest against former bureaucrat and sitting MP Aparajita Sarangi.

Meanwhile, Pradeep Kumar Majhi, who joined BJD after quitting Congress in 2021, has replaced Ramesh Chandra Majhi as the party’s candidate for the Nabarangpur Lok Ssabha constituency. Pradeep who contested on Congress ticket from the same constituency in 2019 had lost to Ramesh Chandra.

Similarly, BJD has replaced Pramila Bisoyi with Ranjita Sahoo for the Aska Lok Sabha constituency this time. The party has fielded Sudam Marndi for Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat, replacing Debashis Marndi. The BJD also announced the Lambodar Nial for Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency replacing Puspendra Singhdeo who had lost to Basanta Kumar Panda in 2019 general elections.

The party on the other hand retained Kausalaya Hikaka for Koraput parliamentary constituency who had lost to Saptagiri Shankar Ulaka of Congress in the 2019 elections.

The party has also announced the list of candidates for 72 assembly constituencies for the upcoming elections. It had retained many previous candidates barring a few new faces. The party has fielded Sujata Sahu for Jajpur as Pranab Prakash Das has been announced to contest from Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat. Similarly, Kalikesh Singh Deo has replaced father Ananga Udaya Singh Deo from Bolangir Assembly seat this time.

Simultaneous elections to 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly seats in Odisha will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.