Odisha Election 2024: Labour Minister Nayak, 3 Turncoats Among BJD's Third List Of 9 Candidates

Odisha Election 2024: BJD president Naveen Patnaik has re-nominated Labour Minister Sarada Prasad Nayak, who will be contesting from the Rourkela assembly segment.

File photo of Labour Minister Sarada Prasad Nayak

Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, announced its third list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly election, featuring nine contestants. With this announcement, the ruling party has now revealed candidates for 108 out of the total 147 assembly segments in the state.

Among the nine candidates, three are turncoats who recently joined the BJD from other parties. The list includes Prakash Behera for the Barabati-Cuttack seat, Raisen Murmu for Rajgangpur, and Rohit Joseph Tirkey for Biramitrapur. Additionally, the list features one woman candidate, Meena Majhi, nominated for the Keonjhar assembly segment, challenging BJP leader Mohan Majhi, news agency PTI reported.

VIDEO | Odisha CM and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) announces third list of party candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections. #OdishaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/FXtomzUBP2

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 5, 2024

BJD president Naveen Patnaik has re-nominated Labour Minister Sarada Prasad Nayak, who will be contesting from the Rourkela assembly segment.

BJD Candidates For Odisha Election 2024, Lok Sabha Polls

Earlier this week, the BJD released its third list of candidates for both Lok Sabha and second list for Assembly polls, announcing contestants for 27 Assembly and five Lok Sabha constituencies. Notable changes include the nomination of Surendra Singh Bhoi in place of Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo for the Balangir Parliamentary constituency. The party also nominated Parinita Mishra for the Bargarh Lok Sabha seat, replacing veteran leader Prasanna Acharya, according to news agency IANS.

Despite these announcements, the party is yet to declare candidates for certain constituencies, including Balasore Lok Sabha seat. The BJD has renominated several sitting MLAs and fielded candidates who previously contested but lost in the 2019 assembly elections.

The BJD has fielded candidates across various constituencies, including 81-year-old Ramesh Chandra Chyau Patnaik for Berhampur Assembly constituency and Dr. Tirupati Panigrahi's son Rupesh Panigrahi for Parlakhemundi assembly constituency. Additionally, ex-Congress leader and sitting MLA Adhiraj Mohan Panigrahi, who recently joined the BJD, has been nominated for the Khariar Assembly constituency.

Following the announcement of Madhab Dhada as the candidate for the Soro Assembly constituency, sitting MLA Parshuram Dhada resigned from the primary membership of BJD.