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BJD announces list for LS and Assembly, Odisha CM Patnaik to contest from two seats

The BJD supremo announced candidates for nine Parliamentary Constituencies and 54 Assembly Constituencies for upcoming elections in the state.

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Odisha chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik will contest from Hinjili and Bijepur assembly constituencies in the upcoming state elections. 

The BJD supremo on Monday announced candidates for nine Parliamentary Constituencies and 54 Assembly Constituencies for upcoming elections in the state. 15 sitting MLAs have been dropped. 8 sitting MPs have also not been given ticket in a bid to numb the anti-incumbency in the state.

Last week, Patnaik had said he was "seriously considering" a proposal to contest the assembly polls from a seat in western Odisha.

Patnaik represents Hinjili assembly seat in Ganjam district winning successive assembly elections since 2000. Bijepur falls in  Bargarh district of Western Odisha. 

"Party leaders from western Odisha as well as farmers, women and students have requested me to contest from a constituency in the western region," Patnaik told reporters on Sunday.

He said he was considering the proposal "very seriously".

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo's move assumes significance in the backdrop of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) impressive performance in western Odisha in the 2017 panchayat elections.

While Congress president Rahul Gandhi's back-to-back visits to the region in a bid to bolster his party's poll prospects has further mounted pressure on the ruling BJD.

A host of intellectuals, writers, farmers, women leaders, youth, students and people from all spheres have also made an "emotional" appeal to Patnaik to contest the assembly polls this time from west Odisha, he claimed.

Simultaneous polling will be held in Odisha for its 21 Lok Sabha seats and 147 Assembly constituencies in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29. 

(With PTI inputs) 

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