Bhubaneswar, Feb 24: As the election draws near, the political landscape in the Jayadev assembly segment is heating up.
Arabinda Dhali, the incumbent MLA, is the main contender from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to fight once again. He recently convened a meeting with 33 panchayat leaders in the area, seeking their cooperation and support. A video of MLA Dhali repeatedly asking party workers, “Will I fight or not?” is now circulating on social media.
Shashi Bhushan Behera, the former MLA of Jayadev, is also in the spotlight. Shashi Bhushan is now an MLA from Kendrapada. His name is being discussed as a strong contender for the BJD ticket this time.
Several other aspirants are vying for the BJD ticket: Naba Kishore Mallik, Akshay Behera, Filmmaker and social worker Satapriya Behera, Mangaraj Behera, Subhalaxmi Subhadashini,
Senior BJD leader Sipra Mallik, who resides in the Jayadev area, is also aspiring for the party ticket.
On the other hand, Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha MP Aparajita Sarangi has gained popularity in the area. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is actively contesting here. Local BJP leaders, including Basant Naik, Jagannath Behera, Maguni Sethi, Shiv Mallik, and Raghav Sethi, are aspiring candidates.for the party ticket for this assembly segment.
The Congress party, which faced challenges in the 2019 elections, is striving to regain its position. Aspirants for the Congress ticket include Benu Bhoi, Jayant Bhoi, Artatrana Kandi, Keshav Behera, Youth leader Tapash Sethi, and Shankuni Kanhar. All of them have applied through the Pragama app.
