BJD announces list of 9 candidates for Odisha Assembly constituencies

BHUBHANESHWAR: Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik released the names of nine candidates for the upcoming Odisha Assembly elections on Sunday.

Kishore Mohanty has been fielded from Brajaraj Nagar, AN Singh from Bolangir, Pradeep Behera from Loisinga, Pitam Padhi from Pottangi, PK Dishari from Lanjigarh, PC Majhi from Jharigam, Mukunda Sodi from Malkangiri, Dr R Panigrahi from Sambalpur and Rohit Pujari from Rairakhol.

Patnaik also claimed that the BJD will emerge victorious in 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha and play a major role in government formation at the Centre in the upcoming polls.

"No national party will be able to win majority in Lok Sabha election this time. BJD will have decisive role to play in formation of the next government at the Centre," the Biju Janata Dal president.

The party kicked off starting its poll campaign with a rally in Nayagarh on Sunday.

The party also released a list of 40 star campaigners on Saturday, which included the names of Odia film personalities Anubhav Mohanty, Sidhant Mohapatra and Arindam Ray apart from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Odisha Assembly election is scheduled to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls in four phases in Odisha next month. 

In 2014, BJD had won 20 out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats and 117 of the 147 assembly segments.