Former NCP leader Arun Dey, who severed all links with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) after joining the ruling party nine days ago on Tuesday, filed his nomination papers as the Congress candidate for the Baleswar Sadar Assembly constituency on Wednesday.
A five-time MlA from this seat, Dey’s candidature is expected to improve the sagging electoral prospects of Congress leader and Union Minister Srikant Jena, who also filed his nomination papers in the day for the Baleswar lok Sabha constituency, from where he will be seeking re-election.
Dey, who had joined the BJD expecting the party’s ticket for the Baleswar Parliamentary seat, quit it after BJD president Naveen Patnaik announced industrialist Rabindra Kumar Jena as the candidate for the seat. Nor was Dey allotted BJD ticket for the Baleswar Sadar Assembly seat, where Patnaik preferred to retain sitting MlA Jiban Pradip Das as the nominee this time too.
Dey’s changed role is expected to have a major impact on the electoral scene in Baleswar district. He has predicted disaster for the BJD in the district in view of the party’s selection of candidates for the lone lok Sabha and Assembly seats.
Rabindra Jena also filed his nominations for the Baleswar lS seat on Wednesday.