BJP releases candidate list for 99 Assembly Constituencies in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: After announcing candidates for 10 LokSabha seats in Odisha, the Bhartiyaa Janata Party ( BJP ) has also released a list of 99 candidates for the Odisha Legislative Assembly Elections. The Central Election Committee (CEC), the highest decision making body of BJP on Election matters has approved the list. Earlier, the party had announced names of its candidates for Odisha’s 10 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats.

The party has fielded many new entrants who joined BJP after resigning from the Governing BJD or the Opposition Congress. The list includes veteran leader Damodor Rout and rebel BJD leader Kusum Tete, who were recently joined the party. While Damador Rout will contest from his desired seat of Balikuda-Ersama, Kusum Tete has been made a candidate from Sundergarh Assembly segment. Congress MLA from Salipur Prakash Behera has been named as the BJP candidate from his own constituency. The party old times like former Minister Samir Dey has been named as the BJP candidate from Cuttack-Barabati Assembly segment while former Minister Jaynarayan Mishra will contest from Sambalpur seat. BJP’s state General Secretary Prithviraj Harichandan will contest from Chilika assembly segment. BJP’s Padmapur MLA Pradeep Purohit has been re-nominated to contest from his Constituency.   Leader of the BJP Legislature Party K V Singh Deo will contest from his Patnagarh assembly segment. The BJP’s Brajrajnagar MLA Radharani Panda has been named as the party candidate from her own seat.  Remuna MLA Gobind Das has also been made a candidate from his constituency. BJP Mahila Morcha President will contest from Nimapara assembly segment while former Minister Surama Padhi to contest from Ranpur.  Irani Ray and Bharati Behera will contest from Nayagarh and Khalikote Assembly seats respectively.

BJP will announce candidates for the rest 47 Assembly seats in the second phase.