The 2019 twin polls in Odisha witnesses relations entering into the fray.
The highest number family members in the poll fray are seen in backward Balangir district followed by other tribal dominated Sundargarh and Kalahandi districts.
As the Assembly election will be held along with the Lok Sabha polls in the State, the family members are visible seeking votes from the public.
In Balangir, a father-son pair, a brother-brother pair and a husband-wife duo are seeking elections.
The pairs are evenly distributed in three major political parties like ruling BJD, opposition Congress and BJP.
Former Minister AU Singh Deo’s son Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo is contesting on BJD ticket for Balangir Lok Sabha seat while his younger
brother Arkesh is BJD candidate for Balangir Assembly seat.
BJP Legislature party leader KV Singh Deo and his wife Sangeeta Singh Deo are also in the poll fray.
While KV has been seeking reelection from Patnagarh Assembly seat, his former MP wife Sangita is a BJP candidate for the Balangir Lok Sabha seat. Incidentally, the fight will be between Kalikesh and Sangeeta, who are nephew and aunt.
For Kalikesh Singh Deo, who won the Lok Sabha constituency in 2009 and 2014, the battle will be an interesting one.
Similarly, Leader of Opposition (Congress) Narasingha Mishra is seeking re-election from the Balangir Assembly segment while his son Samarendra is a party candidate from Balangir Lok Sabha seat.
In Sundargarh district, veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister Hemananda Biswal's two daughters are in the fray as nominees of BJD and Congress, respectively. While Sunita Biswal is a BJD candidate for the Sundargarh Lok Sabha seat, her younger sister Anita has been fielded by the Congress from the Sundergarh Assembly seat.
In Kalahandi district, former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das has been fielded by the party from the Kalahandi Lok Sabha constituency and his son Sagar Charan Das is the party's candidate from the Bhawanipatna
Assembly seat.
Similarly, George Tirkey is the Congress candidate for the Sundargarh (ST) Lok Sabha constituency while his son Rohit Joseph has been fielded as the party nominee from the Birmitrapur (ST) Assembly seat, now represented by his father.