Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Niranjan Patnaik is likely contest the Assembly elections from the Ghasipura constituency in Keonjhar district.
Accepting the challenge of BJD candidate Minister Badri Narayan Patra, Patnaik may lock horns with his traditional political rival from this seat, informed Keonjhar Congress district working president Ratikant Baral on Saturday.
There are speculations that apart from Ghasipura, the PCC chief may also contest from the Bhandaripokhari Assembly seat in Bhadrak district.
However, he is waiting for a nod from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in this regard. “The AICC will decide on this proposal. If the party wants me to contest polls from both the seats, I will follow it,” Patnaik told reporters.
Asked about Badri Patra’s open challenge to him, he remarked, “I agree that Badribabu is more powerful than me. I cannot compete with him in committing crimes. I am weaker than him in murder and physical assault.”
However, he accepted Patra’s challenge and said he is ready for the electoral fight.
“Badribabu is a sitting Minister. I am away from a Minister’s post for past 20 years. In fact, I am ineligible to show my strength in his constituency. But I have requested the AICC to allow me to test my power and guts,” Patnaik added.
Notably, Patra and Prthviraj Kunar are already declared as the BJD and BJP candidates for Ghasipura. If Patnaik joins the fray, the constituency would virtually witness a three-cornered fight.
Niranjan Patnaik’s son Navjyoti Patnaik has been fielded as the Congress’ candidate for the Baleswar Lok Sabha constituency.
