Sons, wives and close relatives of seven former chief ministers have entered the electoral fray in Orissa this time.
Two former chief ministers, Hemananda Biswal and Giridhar Gamang are contesting the polls. The former is trying to retain his Laikera (ST) assembly seat while Gamang is attempting to win the Koraput (ST) parliamentary seat for the ninth time.
If PCC president J B Patnaik also decides to contest the assembly polls, he would be the third former chief minister to throw his hat into the ring.
PCC sources are still tightlipped about the possibility of Patnaik contesting though the Congress is yet to field any candidate from the Begunia assembly seat from where the former chief minister had won a byelection in 1995.
Sons of five former chief ministers are in the fray. They are Naveen Patnaik, Ananga Uday Singh Deo, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Tathagat Satpathy and Bijoyshree Routray.
Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik, who is seeking re-election from the Hinjili assembly seat in Ganjam district, is the younger son of late Biju Patnaik who ruled the state twice between 1961-63 and 1990-95.
BJD candidate from the prestigious Cuttack Lok Sabha seat, Bhartruhari Mahtab is the son of late Harekrushna Mahtab, a towering political leader of the state who was chief minister between 1956 and 1961.
{{/usCountry}}BJD candidate from the prestigious Cuttack Lok Sabha seat, Bhartruhari Mahtab is the son of late Harekrushna Mahtab, a towering political leader of the state who was chief minister between 1956 and 1961.
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