Bhubaneswar, March 19: The Bhubaneswar Central (Madhya) Assembly segment has become a battleground within the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The intense struggle centers around the BJD ticket for this prestigious constituency.
Incumbent BJD MLA Ananta Narayan Jena and BJD corporator Amaresh Jena have been locked in a fierce contest for years. Their rivalry has escalated significantly in the lead-up to the upcoming election. Both leaders are actively lobbying for the party ticket, and their efforts have been on full display.
Anant has been rallying with most of the corporators, while Amaresh is garnering support of former corporators. The battle for BJD ticket has been going on for several months, and both leaders are determined to secure the party’s nomination.
Amid speculation about a potential BJD-BJP alliance, both have maintained a silence in recent days.
Meanwhile, Jagannath Pradhan, the BJP aspirant for the party ticket, is diligently preparing his groundwork.
In the 2019 election, Anant Narayan Jena, the BJD candidate, had secured 54,022 votes, while BJP nominee Jagannath Pradhan had polled 42,580 votes, and Congress nominee Rajb Patnaik scored only 2,746 votes.
This upcoming election assumes immense significance for the BJD. The uncertainty surrounding a possible alliance between the BJD and BJP adds to the intrigue. The question as to who will be the joint candidate in case of an alliance remains unanswered, leaving an air of uncertainty in this constituency as the assembly election approaches
