Odisha BJP leaders discuss candidates for polls

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha BJP’s State election committee on Saturday held a meeting, in which discussions were held on the candidates for the Assembly and the Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting, chaired by State BJP president Manmohan Samal, was attended by the party’s election in-charge for Odisha Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bishweswar Tudu, and MP Pratap Sarangi, among others.

Candidates for the 147 Assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats in the State were discussed, a senior leader said.

Senior BJP leader Pratap Sarangi said preparation in Odisha is almost complete and the strategy is being fine-tuned for the upcoming elections. Sarangi said a list of probable candidates has been prepared and it will be sent to the party high command for consideration. The names of candidates will be announced from Delhi by the central leadership.

The meeting was held amid speculations of an alliance with the ruling BJD for the upcoming elections. Asked about the speculations, Tomar said the BJP is ready with a comprehensive strategy for the elections, which it will fight with full might.

The other BJP leaders, who attended the meeting, however, refused to take questions on the speculations that have been going on.

Odisha will vote in the Lok Sabha and the Assembly elections, which are being held simultaneously, in four phases. The polling will be held on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The votes will be counted with the rest of the country on June 4.