Lok Sabha elections: BJP Odisha president Basanta Panda to contest from Kalahandi

BHUBANESWAR: The BJP has fielded party’s state unit president Basanta Panda from Kalahanadi Lok Sabha seat, its second LS candidates list released late on Friday night shows.


Panda was MLA from Nuapada in the outgoing assembly and from 2000-2004. Nuapada is part of Kalahanadi LS segment.

Suresh Pujari, party’s national secretary will fight from Bargarh this time.

In 2014, Pujari had fought from Sambalpur LS seat where he had lost to Nagendra Pradhan of the BJD. The BJP has fielded Nitesh Ganga Deb, Deogarh royal scion, from Sambalpur.

Nitesh was BJP MLA from Deogarh in the outgoing assembly. He was also elected to the state assembly earlier on Congress ticket from the same seat in 2009.

Party’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra, a native of Odisha, will contest from Puri. “I thank Honourable PM Sh ?@narendramodi? Ji & ?@BJP4India? President Sh ?@AmitShah? ji & All the respected CEC members for reposing faith on a small Karyakarta as me to make me contest from the abode of Lord Jaganath - PURI #PhirEkBaarModiSarkar,” Patra tweeted.

BJP has named Jayaram Pangi, who was elected to Lok Sabha on BJD ticket in 2009 from Koraput, as its nominee for Koraput. Pangi, also a four-time former MLA and former minister in Biju Patnaik’s council (1990-1995), is perceived to have strong grassroots connect in the tribal-dominated district. He has joined the BJP in 2017.