Total 1,800 candidates in fray for twin elections
Nominations for the simultaneous general elections closed on Wednesday with the completion of the nomination process of the last phase for 11 lok Sabha and 77 Assembly seats. As many as 1,800 candidates are in the fray in both the phases, according to preliminary official information.
After the withdrawal of candidature for the first phase of elections on Wednesday, as many as 100 valid nominees are left in the fray to test their luck in the lok Sabha polls. Similarly, as many as 752 candidates are in the fray in the final list for the 70 Assembly constituencies.
The scrutiny of nominations for the second phase polls will take place on March 27 while March 29 will be the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers in both the lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies. The final list of valid candidates in the fray will be published on March 29 for both the phases. The candidates in highest number in fray are in Kalahandi lok Sabha and Narla Assembly seats. The lowest number is found in Nabarangpur lok Sabha and Jharingaan Assembly constituency that comes under reserved (ST) Nabarangpur Parliamentary seat.
According to sources, as many as 130 candidates filed their papers in 11 lok Sabha constituencies and 850 candidates filed their papers in 77 Assembly seats on the last of nomination for the second phase.
The prominent leaders who filed their papers on the last day included Union Minister Srikant Jena (Congress), Pratap Chandra Sarangi (BJP), Rabindra Jena (BJD) from Baleswar lok Sabha seat, Kharabela Swain of Aam Odisha Party and Samir Dey of BJP from Cuttack lok Sabha seat, Rudranarayan Pani of BJP in Dhenkanal seat, Baijayant Panda of BJP in Kendrapada, cine star Bijoy Mohanty of Congress and Pruthwiraj Harichandan of BJP from Bhubaneswar lok Sabha seat.
Similarly, prominent leaders who filed from various Assembly seats included Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Damodar Rout (Paradip), veteran BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra (Mahakalpada), Steel and Mines Minister Rajani Kanta Singh (Angul) and Ranendra Pratap Swain of BJD (Athagarh).
Arun Dey who was disillusioned over not getting a ticket from the BJD sprang a surprise by filing his candidature as a Congress candidate from Baleswar Sadar seat at the last moment. Former Minister and sitting MlA Anjali Behera who was denied a ticket from the BJD also filed her papers in Hindol Assembly seat as an Independent.
Both the Congress and ruling BJD resorted to change of candidates under pressure from party rank and file. While the BJD replaced Alekh Jena with Dhruba Sahu in Rajnagar Assembly seat, the Congress also changed three of its candidates in the last day. The new candidates included Subrat Das in Bhandaripokhari in place of laxmi Devi, lala Manoj Ray in place of Sitakanta Mishra in Nayagarh and Amiya Mohapatra in place of Jyoti Mohanty in Chandbali.