BJP fields Arjun Sethi's son in Bhadrak Lok Sabha seat

BJP Monday fielded Abhimanyu Sethi, son of former BJD leader Arjun Sethi, in the Bhadrak Lok Sabha seat and veteran leader Bijay Mohapatra as its candidate for the Patkura Assembly segment.

Sethi and Mohapatra's names were in the list of three Lok Sabha and 11 Assembly candidates released by the party on Monday. The BJP has announced names of 142 of the 147 assembly seats and 20 of the 21 Lok Sabha constituencies.

Arjun Sethi, a former Union Minister and sitting MP in the Bhadrak seat, resigned from the BJD on March 30 after he was denied the BJD ticket from the seat and joined the BJP along with his son Abhimanyu.

The BJP named Bisweswar Tudu, a RSS activist, as its candidate for Mayurbhanj (ST) Lok Sabha seat. The party also announced the name of Amiya Mallick as its candidate for the Jajpur Lok Sabha seat.

The BJP fielded senior leader Bijay Mohapatra in Patkura assembly seat. Mohapatra had resigned from the party and rejoined the saffron outfit last week. He was elected to assembly from Patkura assembly segment four times in 1980 (by-polls), 1985, 1990 and 1995.

BJP has fielded Sukant Nayak as its candidate for the Nilgiri Assembly segment. Nayak the sitting MLA was denied renomination from Nilgiri seat by BJD.

The BJP named Alok Sethi as its candidate from Anandapur assembly segment as its candidate Bhagirathi Sethi switched over to BJD even after getting ticket from the saffron party.

Other assembly candidates were: Naba Charan Majhi (Rairangpur), Dr Krushna Chandra Mahapatra (Morada), Bhagirathi Pradhan (Athamallik), Subhranshu Sekhar Padhi (Banki), Brajendra Ray (Athagarh), Bijay Pradhan (Mahakalapada), Jayanta Sarangi (Puri) and cine star Aparajita Mohanty from Bhubaneswar (North) segment.