BJD names candidates for nine assembly constituencies

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha on Sunday announced the names of candidates for nine assembly constituencies for the upcoming elections.

The names were declared by Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik, six days after the party released the first list of candidates on March 18.

While sitting party legislators Raseswari Panigrahi and Rohit Pujari have been renominated for Sambalpur and Rairakhol assembly constituencies, former assembly speaker Kishore Mohanty has been fielded from the Brajarajnagar seat.

Panigrahi happens to be the lone woman in the list of candidates released on Sunday.

Arkesh Narayan Singhdeo, son of former state minister A U Singhdeo, has been fielded by BJD from Bolangir assembly segment to take on the sitting MLA from the seat, Narasingha Mishra, now Leader of Opposition in the outgoing House.

The constituency was held by A U Singhdeo since 1990 before he lost to Narasingha Mishra in the 2014 polls.

The ruling party has nominated Pradip Behera from the Loisingha assembly seat, which was represented by former state minister Jogendra Behera.

In the fresh list, BJD has named Pritam Padhi as its candidate from the Pottangi assembly seat, Pradip Kumar Dishari from Lanjigarh, Prakash Chandra Majhi from Jharigram and Mukund Sodi from Malkangiri segments.

Assembly elections in Odisha is scheduled to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.