BJD drops 5 MLAs in latest list, gives ticket to actor, mining transporter

The BJD has given tickets to actor Varsha Priyadarshini and mining transporter-turned-politician Sanatan Mahakud in the party’s latest list of candidates for the Odisha assembly polls

Published on: Apr 20, 2024, 21:05:35 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday announced candidates for nine assembly constituencies in Odisha including actor Varsha Priyadarshini, whose marriage with former party MP Anubhav Mohanty ended in legal separation last year, and mining transporter-turned-politician Sanatan Mahakud. In the latest list, the ruling party has denied tickets to five sitting MLAs.

The BJD has announced candidates for 135 of the 147 assembly constituencies. (File)

Priyadarshini had joined the BJD a couple of days ago after her marital discord and legal separation from Anubhav Mohanty last year. The Odia film actor got the BJD ticket as the party chose to ignore veteran MLA Amar Prasad Satpathy and a few other contenders. Mohanty joined the BJP last month and is expected to get an assembly ticket from the saffron party.

In Champua of Keonjhar district, which is known as Bellary of Odisha due to iron ore mines, the BJD gave ticket to influential mines transporter Sanatan Mahakud, who represented the constituency in 2014 as an independent MLA. Mahakud, who made his wealth during the iron ore boom of early 2000, did not contest 2019 assembly polls due to his ill health but he helped the ruling BJD win both Champua Assembly and Keonjhar Lok Sabha seats. As per his recommendation, the BJD fielded Minakshi Mahanta in Champua Assembly constituency and Chandrani Murmu, a first-timer, in Keonjhar Lok Sabha seat. Both emerged as winners with the blessings of Sanatan. .

The BJD also gave party ticket to Ganeswar Behera in Kendrapara assembly constituency, weeks after he quit the Congress.

Of the 147 assembly constituencies, the BJD has announced candidates for 135, in which 32 are women, constituting 26 per cent of the total numbers, its highest number so far. Of the 21 Lok Sabha constituencies, the party has given tickets to one third of women, like it did in 2019 elections.

Odisha goes to polls in four phases beginning from May 13 in the Lok Sabha constituencies of Kalahandi, Koraput, Berhampur and Nabarangpur as well as 28 assembly constituencies under it. The last phase of polling would be held on June 1.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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