Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik starts exercise for candidate selection

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday formally started the process for selection of candidates for the first phase polls in Odisha scheduled on April 11. 
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik. (File)
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik. (File)

BHUBANESWAR:  Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday formally started the process for selection of candidates for the first phase polls in Odisha scheduled on April 11. Four Lok Sabha seats - Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Berhampur - and 28 Assembly constituencies will go to polls in the first phase. Sources said though the list is yet to be finalised, all the four sitting MPs are going to be replaced while several sitting MLAs will be denied tickets. 

Speculation is rife that that probables for all the four Lok Sabha seats have been short-listed and the Chief Minister is likely to announce the candidates in next two to three days. In Kalahandi seat, the nomination may go to Malavika Devi, wife of sitting MP Arka Keshari Deo, though the names of former minister Pushpendra Singhdeo and sitting MLA Dibya Shankar Mishra are also doing rounds. 

The regional party may field SC/ST Development Minister Ramesh Majhi to take on former MP Pradip Majhi in Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency. Initially, it was speculated that a woman candidate will be fielded from the Parliamentary seat. But after finalisation of Congress candidate, the ruling party has decided to field a strong contender from the seat. Sources said sitting MP Balabhadra Majhi is likely to be asked to contest the Assembly elections.

Similarly, Kaushalya Hikaka, wife of sitting MP from Koraput Lok Sabha seat Jhina Hikaka, is likely to fielded by the BJD. While Congress has short-listed the name of Saptagiri Ulaka from the seat, veteran tribal leader Giridhar Gamang and former MP Jayram Pangi are in the race for BJP ticket from the constituency.

Names of former Union minister Chandra Sekhar Sahu and princess of Parlakhemundi Kalyani Devi are doing the rounds for the Berhampur Lok Sabha seat in place of sitting MP Siddhanta Mohapatra. 
Observers for the four Lok Sabha seats - Pranab Prakash Das (Koraput), Sanjay Dasburma (Nabarangpur), Niranjan Pujari (Kalahandi) and Maheswar Mohanty (Berhampur) attended the meeting.

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