Bhubaneswar, March 27: The BJD on Wednesday announced candidature of Anshuman Mohanty for Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat in Odisha.
Mohanty, the former Congress Kendrapara district president and Rajnagar MLA from 2014 to 2019 will face off BJP’s national vice president Baijayant Panda in the ensuing Lok Sabha election.
Mohanty, son of former Odisha Minister Nalinikanta Mohanty, quit Congress and joined BJD on February 16 this year. He had a significant presence as a youth leader within the Congress in the district.
His opponent Baijayant Panda has represented Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat twice from 2009 to 2014 and 2014 to 2019 as a BJD leader.
Panda was also a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha for two terms from 2000 to 2009.
He was suspended from the BJD in January, 2018. Later, he joined BJP in March, 2019 and contested from Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat. However, he lost to BJD’s Anubhav Mohanty.
The Congress is yet to announce list of its candidates for both Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Odisha.
