The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has recently released its fifth list of candidates for the upcoming Odisha Assembly elections in 2024. The announcement included a significant development with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik set to contest from the Kantabanji seat, in addition to his traditional Hinjili seat. This decision underscores the importance the BJD places on Kantabanji for this election cycle.
Other candidates announced in this list include Laxmipriya Nayak for Chitrakonda, Barsa Singh Bariha for Padampur, and Rajendra Chhatria for Kuchinda. Arundhati Kumari Devi will contest from Deogarh, Sanjukta Singh from Angul, and Dilip Kumar Nayak from Nimapara. Additionally, Sulkhnsa Gitanjali Devi is fielded from Sanakhemundi, and Indira Nanda from Jeypore.
In a strategic shift, the party also swapped two MLA candidates with Rohit Pujari now set to contest from Sambalpur and Prasanna Acharya from Rairakhol. These changes are part of the party's broader strategy to maintain or increase its foothold in these regions.
Before this list, the Chief Minister had announced the fourth list of candidates, which included nine candidates for the Assembly and one for the Lok Sabha elections, with Lekhasri Samantasinghar running for the Balasore Lok Sabha seat. This suggests the party’s attention is equally focused on national as well as state elections.
Furthermore, the BJD has announced a 38-member manifesto committee to prepare for the Lok Sabha elections, chaired by Berhampur MP and BJD Vice-President Chandrashekhar Sahu.
This committee aims to engage with various demographic and professional groups to prepare a manifesto that resonates broadly across different sectors of society.
The BJD’s previous success in the 2019 Assembly polls saw it securing 112 seats, enabling Naveen Patnaik to serve as Chief Minister for a fifth consecutive term since 2000.
The election schedule announced by the Election Commission for Odisha aligns with the Lok Sabha elections and will occur in four phases starting from May 13, with subsequent phases on May 20, May 25, and the final phase on June 1. The results will be declared on June 4.
By announcing a comprehensive list of candidates across various constituencies, the BJD is gearing up for a robust campaign aiming to continue its dominant presence in Odisha’s political landscape, reflecting its strategic preparations and anticipation of another strong performance in both the state and national elections.
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