Bhubaneswar, March 24: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) finds itself at a crossroads as it deliberates on selecting a candidate for the Kalahandi Lok Sabha seat ahead of the upcoming polls. Scheduled for the fourth phase on May 13, this constituency has emerged as a fiercely contested arena, with three prominent contenders vying for supremacy: Sujeet Kumar, a Rajya Sabha member representing the BJD, Bhupinder Singh, a seasoned leader within the party, and Ajit Mishra, who recently stepped down as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC).
The BJD's ambition to recapture the Kalahandi Lok Sabha seat from the BJP is facing multifaceted challenges. Notably, the BJP is contemplating nominating Arka Keshari Deo, a former BJD MP who recently switched sides. Moreover, the potential candidacy of former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das from the Congress adds another dimension to the political landscape in the constituency.
A recent BJD meeting, chaired by party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Naveen Niwas, saw the attendance of Sujit Kumar, Bhupinder Singh, and Ajit Mishra. However, none of them has received definitive approval for the ticket as yet.
While candidates for most Assembly seats within the Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency have been finalized, uncertainty looms over Narla. The incumbent MLA, Bhupinder Singh, is being considered for the Lok Sabha seat, with a potential fallback option of contesting from Narla if the parliamentary ticket eludes him.
The probable candidates for other Assembly seats in the Kalahandi district are as follows:
Dharamgarh: Former minister and current Kalahandi district president Pushpendra Singhdeo is likely to contest from here.
Junagarh: Former minister Dibyashankar Mishra is expected to be fielded again.
Khariar: Adhiraj Panigrahy, the sitting MLA who switched allegiance from Congress to BJD, is anticipated to be the candidate.
Lanjigarh: The party intends to retain Pradip Dishari, the incumbent MLA.
Bhawanipatna: Lalita Naik, the wife of former Dushmanta Naik, is slated to be the candidate.
With the elections drawing closer, the BJD confronts crucial decisions as it strives for victory in both Kalahandi and Narla constituencies.
