Parties hunt for suitable LS candidates

SAMBALPUR: WITH the high profile Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat promising a stiff contest in the upcoming General Elections, the BJD, BJP and Congress are all set to put up their strongest faces from the constituency.

The BJD is most likely to field former Engineer-in-Chief -cum-Secretary of Works Department Nalinikanta Pradhan from the seat as chances of retaining sitting MP Nagendra Pradhan are remote. The signals are crystal clear as Nalinikanta resigned from the post on Thursday last, a month before his one-year extension tenure concluded. He is likely to join the BJD in the next couple of days.

The Sambalpur Parliamentary constituency covers Sambalpur, Rairakhol, Kuchinda and Rengali Assembly constituencies in the district, Deogarh segment in Deogarh district besides Athamallik and Chhendipada Assembly seats in Angul district.

Nagendra Pradhan won the seat in 2014, defeating BJP stalwart Suresh Pujari by 30,576 votes. However, Nagendra has failed to perform to voter expectations in the last five years. Apart from being absent from the constituency and being inaccessible to people, he has been aloof from organisational matters. As a result, there is a perceptible voter and even party worker mood against the sitting MP.

For BJP, national secretary and former BJP state president Suresh Pujari is a major contender for the Sambalpur seat. However, his defeat during last General Elections will be a major drawback for him.
For Congress ticket, party president Aswini Guru, former MP Amarnath Pradhan and three others are in the race. The candidate will be declared by March 15.