Rush for BJD ticket ahead of Brajrajnagar byelection

Bhubaneswar: Apprehending problem over selection of candidates in the forthcoming byelection in Brajrajnagar on May 31, the ruling BJD on Wednesday passed a unanimous resolution to accept whatever decision to be taken by party president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik regarding candidature.
The resolution was passed in the poll-bound assembly segment in the presence senior party leaders, including two cabinet ministers — Naba Das and Susanta Singh — and party’s Jharsuguda district observer Subhash Chandra Singh, who visited Brajrajnagar to prepare the initial ground works.
Around 400 leaders from the constituency have unanimously resolved that whoever will be selected by the chief minister as BJD nominee in the byelection, we will make all out efforts to ensure his/her victory.
The resolution will be sent to the party president, said BJD’s Jharsuguda district observer.
Despite BJD’s claim of having strong support base in the constituency, the decision to pass a resolution indicates that multiple aspirants are in the race for BJD ticket.
The party also wants to send message that it is united and doesn’t want to give space to groupism over ticket distribution, which can spoil its prospects.
Among others, who are eyeing BJD ticket from the constituency include Alaka Mohanty, wife of late BJD MLA Kishore Kumar Mohanty. Name of Deepali Das, daughter of health ministerand Jharsuguda legislator Naba Kishore Das is also doing the rounds for BJD ticket.