The first batch of candidates will mostly be from coastal districts.Senior leaders, however, said not all the first batch candidates to be announced by the party will be sitting MLAs. As the party has decided to give priority to field women and youth, several new faces are also expected. In constituencies where the sitting MLAs are to be renominated, they have been asked to prepare ground by organising workers’ conferences.
Exercise for the selection of Lok Sabha candidates have also been started. Candidates for several key constituencies including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Kendrapara, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Balasore will be changed. Amid speculations over early announcement of ticket, there was a huge rush in Naveen Niwas on Tuesday as ticket aspirants and different organisations met 5T chairman VK Pandian and BJD organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das.
Nabarangpur MP Ramesh Chandra Majhi was among those who reached Naveen Niwas leading a group of tribals to thank Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his decision to withdraw minor cases against tribals. Majhi told The New Indian Express that he is prepared to fight the election from the Nabarangpur constituency if renominated by the party. He said he is prepared to contest election from Assembly seat in the district if the party wants him to do so.
Several other aspirants including Shreemayee Mishra and Minister for Science and Technology Ashok Chandra Panda were also seen at Naveen Niwas. While Mishra is being projected as party candidate from the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat, Panda will seek renomination from Ekamra.
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