BJP, Congress announce candidates for Odisha assembly polls

BJP has fielded 112 candidates while Congress named 47 wherein the former has given tickets to eight women candidates for the assembly election this year

Both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress on Tuesday announced their candidates for the upcoming assembly election in Odisha.

The Assembly elections in Odisha will be held in four phases on May 13, 20, 25 and June 1. (File photo)

BJP has fielded 112 candidates while Congress named 47.

Siddhant Mohapatra, two-time former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP from Berhampur will contest from Digapahandi assembly, ex-BJD leader Priyadarshi Mishra from Bhubaneswar-North, Akash Dasnayak, former BJD MLA from Korei will contest from the same seat again.

Pratyusha Rajeshwari, who was BJD MP from Kandhamal, will contest from Nayagarh

BJP state president Manmohan Samal will contest from Chandbali assembly seat while former Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari has been given ticket for the Brajarajnagar seat.

In Hinjili, the constituency where chief minister Naveen Patnaik will seek re-election for the sixth time, BJP has selected Sisir Mishra.

Former BJP minister KV Singhdeo will contest from his old seat of Patnagarh from where he lost the election in 2019.

The party has given tickets to eight women candidates for the assembly election this year.

BJP has already announced candidates for all 21 Lok Sabha constituencies and is yet to name the remaining candidates for the pending 35 assembly seats.

Meanwhile, Congress announced candidates for eight Lok Sabha seats and 47 assembly constituencies which included its only sitting MP from Koraput, Saptagiri Ulaka.

Senior Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das got the ticket for Narla while his son Sagar Das will contest from Bhawanipatna.

Similarly, Bhujabal Majhi will contest from Nabarangpur Lok Sabha seat while his daughter Lipika Majhi received a party ticket from Dabugam assembly constituency.

The Assembly elections in Odisha will be held in four phases on May 13, 20, 25 and June 1. The assembly poll results will be declared on June 4.