Naveen Patnaik announces names of 9 BJD Lok Sabha candidates

Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday declared the first list of party candidates for the Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections.

The BJD president announced the names of nine candidates out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in Odisha.

Patnaik himself will contest from the Hinjili Assembly segment in Ganjam district.

BJD general secretary (Organisation) Pranab Prakash Das will contest from the Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat against Union Minister and BJP candidate Dharmendra Pradhan.

Odisha Minister Sudam Marndi will contest from the Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat while former Indian Hockey skipper Dilip Tirky will face former Union Minister and sitting MP Jual Oram in the Sundergarh Lok Sabha seat.

The other candidates for Lok Sabha seats were: Lambodar Nial (Kalahandi), Ansuman Mohanty (Kendrapara), Prajip Kumar Majhi (Nabarangpur) and Manmath Routray, who joined BJD from Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha seat.

Other Lok Sabha candidates were: Kausalya Hikaka (Koraput), Ranjita Sahu (Aska).

The BJD also announced the names of 72 candidates for the 147 Assembly seats in Odisha.