By Our Correspondent
NEW DELHI/BHUBANESWAR: The BJP Central Election Committee which, had already announced its candidates for 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha, is seriously contemplating to change its candidates in at least 2 Lok Sabha seats of Balasore and Kendrapara , highly placed sources said on Monday.
In Kendrapara, BJP’s Baijayant Jay Panda seems not interested to fight after BJD put Anshuman Kohanty, son of the soil as it candidate against him while infighting in Balasore between sitting MP Pratap Sarangi and former MP MA Kharvel Swain, a major setback for the Saffron Party. BJP named Sukant Panigrahi as its candidate for Kandhamal , to which, Swain was eyeing.
Jay Panda was about to offer prayers at Shree Lord Baladevjew Temple in Kendrapara while he did not turned up and Monday off late , Panda joined a rally, raising speculation about his candidature from this prestigious Lok Sabha seats. Panda had lost the seat in 2019 by a margin over 1.50 Lakh votes.
Despite Modi wave, BJP leader Jay Panda camp feared that Mohanty can take advantage due to his late father Naling Kant Mohanty, who was a very popular face in Kendrapara.
Considering this and other factors like BJP has no MLA under Kendrapara Lok Sabha seat, Panda camp is seriously thinking to withdraw from the Battle 2024 and instead focus on Uttar Pradesh elections to ensure a Rajya Sabha ticket.
In Balasore, former MP , Kharvel Swain openly announced to fight an Independent after BJP named sitting MP Pratap Sarangi as its candidate. Sarangi had won the Lok Sabha seat in 2019 and became a Union Minister and later he was dropped. Keeping all these issues in mind, BJP may change its candidates in Balasore and Kendrapara and may announce new candidates for these 2 Lok Sabha seats.
