By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: BJD Janata Dal, which had won all the MLA seats of Bhubaneswar, including Bhubaneswar Central, Bhubaneswar North and Ekamra in 2019, is likely to repeat the same if the Party leadership announced its candidate for all the seats as early as possible along with solved the internal tussle in Bhubaneswar Central seat.
It appears most likely that, Minister Ashok Panda will get ticket for Ekamara while Sushant Rout aka Bapu also likely continue in Bhubaneswar North seat. The most talking point now on Bhubaneswar Central seat held by sitting MLA Ananta Narayan Jena aka Bunu.Bunu is facing tough fight from Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation’s Works Committee Chairman and Party’s Observer for Gajapati, Amaresh Jena aka Baian.
Baian , who is also a senior BJD Corporator in BMC , has a strong vote base in Bhubaneswar, particularly in Bhubaneswar Central seat and for which, he is trying very hard for the party ticket. Since past several years, Amaresh Jena has been pressing his demand for a MLA ticket while Party yet not take decision on his candidature.
BJD has already announced Manmmath Routray as its MP candidate against BJP’s siting MP Aparajita Sarangi while Party’s ticket aspirants also started campaigning with support from their followers to showcase their strength.
Political observers believed that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik senior leaders like VK Pandian and Pranab Prakash Das shall intervene into the issue and call a coordination meeting among the leaders including President of Bhubaneswar Central Rabindra Chhotray and other party observers to get first-hand knowledge on the ground realities.
Many in BJD believed that Anata Narayan Jena already served in BMC as its Mayor while he already served as Bhubaneswar Central MLA, some more young faces must be given chance in place of him.
‘Since Bunu and Baian fighting each other, if the problem not solved and BJD not announced its candidate for Bhubaneswar Central early, BJP’s Jagannath Pradhan will take advantage out of it and Party’s vote share may spilt, sources said.
Amaresh Jena strongly hopeful that he will get Party ticket , and has already launched his campaign while sitting MLA Anata Narayan Jena too also carrying out, public meetings, rallies, outdoor campaigning to retain his ticket. Sources said, final decision on Bhubaneswar Central only will be taken by either Chief Minister Patnaik himself or by senior leaders like VK Pandian and Babby Das in consultation with organisation leaders of this Assembly seatgment, sources added.
