Bhubaneswar, April 7: The political dynamics within the Jayadev assembly segment have intensified afte the BJP offered a ticket to incumbent MLA, Arabinda Dhali.
Arabinda Dhali, a seasoned five-term MLA, recently made headlines by departing from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and aligning himself with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in anticipation of the Assembly election.
Upon joining the BJP, Dhali swiftly secured the party’s nomination for the Jayadev assembly seat. However, this move has triggered dissatisfaction among other contenders vying for BJP tickets and his own supporters. They argue that individuals with deep-rooted involvement in the constituency should be given the opportunity to stand for election, rather than what they perceive as "imported" leaders receiving preferential treatment, fueling accusations of injustice.
Satyapriya Behera, an aspirant for the BJP ticket, along with his supporters, has brought their concerns to the attention of the state leadership. They have demanded a reconsideration of Arabinda Dhali's candidature, underscoring their significant contributions to the party's grassroots efforts. Despite assurances from the BJP leadership to address the matter within two days, Satyapriya remains resolute in his aspiration to contest the election. Consequently, tensions are running high among his supporters.
Meanwhile, the BJD has nominated Naba Kishor Mallik as its candidate for Jayadev, a decision that has left other hopefuls for BJD tickets, such as Askhaya Behera and Subhalaxmi Subhadarshini (known as Jali), dissatisfied. Their supporters echo the sentiment, expressing discontent over the party leadership's selections.
In this politically charged atmosphere, both parties are grappling with internal dissent while striving to maintain unity as they gear up for the impending elections.
