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Lok Sabha elections 2019: In first list, Naveen Patnaik drops many MPs, MLAs to beat anti-incumbency
At least 6 sitting MPs including former Indian hockey captain Dilip Tirkey, who contested from Sundargarh in 2014, have not found themselves in the BJD list .
Seeking to blunt anti-incumbency and counter a resurgent BJP snapping at its heels, Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik today announced candidates on 9 of the state’s 21 Lok Sabha seats. In all, the BJD, which also announced candidates for 54 of the 147 Assembly constituencies, dropped six sitting MPs and 15 MLAs.
Of the 9 names announced for Lok Sabha seats, three are women. Pramila Bisoi, a farmer who runs a SHG group has been fielded from Aska, while Sunita Biswal, the daughter of former chief minister and Congress veteran Hemananda Biswal was the other one. Koraput MP Jhina Hikaka’s wife Kaushalya Hikaka was fielded in place of her husband.
At least 6 sitting MPs including former Indian hockey captain Dilip Tirkey, who contested from Sundargarh in 2014, have not found themselves in the BJD list.
Early this month, Patnaik had promised 33 per cent reservation for women in candidates to Lok Sabha polls.
Patnaik would contest from two seats - Hinjilicut in Ganjam district and Bijepur in Bargarh district, a break from his earlier practice of contesting from only one seat.
Opposition BJP in a press conference produced a report of State Intelligence Branch which ‘advised’ Patnaik not to contest from Hinjilicut as there was likelihood his losing there due to resentment among his voters over poor implementation of Kalia scheme. The police later called the report “fake and fabricated’ and said an FIR will be registered in this matter.
In the BJD’s list for state elections, there are 25 new faces including several who had crossed over from the Congress and other parties. Patnaik also dropped several MLAs who had just managed to scrape through the 2014 elections. Of the 54 candidates, 12 are women and at least 4 are contesting assembly polls for the first time.
Though Odisha Congress had earlier claimed that it would be the first to come out with its list of candidates, it is yet to finalise some names of the first phase. The BJP which is making a concerted effort to come to power too is yet to declare its candidate list.
