Naveen Patnaik, Dilip Ray file nominations for Odisha assembly

Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik, BJD MP Sidhanta Mohapatra and BJP leader and former union minister Dilip Ray were among over 12 candidates who filed nomination for the ensuing assembly and lok sabha polls in Odisha today.
Patnaik filed four sets of nomination papers from Hinjili assembly constituency in Ganjam district at the sub-collector's office at the district headquarter town of Chhatrapur as ruling BJD candidate, official sources said.
After winning the assembly election from Hinjili constituency in 2000, the BJD supremo tasted victory from the same segment in his home district in successive assembly polls held in 2004 and 2009.

Dilip Ray, who had been minister at the centre and also in the state, filed his nomination for the prestigious Rourkela assembly seat as a BJP nominee, sources said.
Along with Ray, his close confidante Jagabandhu Behera also filed his papers for Raghunathpalli assembly constituency on BJP ticket.
On the fifth day of nomination for April 10 poll, sitting BJD MP from Berhampur Sidhanta Mohapatra filed his nomination as the party candidate from the same parliamentary constituency in Ganjam district.

Similarly, BJD candidate Ladu Kishore Swain filed his nomination from Aska Lok Sabha seat, while Purna Ch Sethi filed his papers as a BJD nominee from Khalikote assembly constituency in Ganjam district. Bikram Panda filed his nomination on a Congress ticket from Berhampur, sources said.

In neighbouring Gajapati district, two nominations - one each for Parlakhemundi and Mohanna assembly segment were filed today. BJP nominee for Mohanna, Bharat Paik and Congress aspirant for Parlakhemundi K Surya Rao filed their nomination, official sources said.
As many as eight nominations had been filed in the state till yesterday, they added.