ANGUL: While Congress and BJP have almost finalised their candidates, BJD is still undecided on its choice of candidate for Chhendipada Assembly segment. The constituency will, in all likelihood, witness a three-cornered contest.The Assembly constituency, fifth in Angul district, was created in 2009. The first elected MLA from the seat Khageswar Behera of BJD was denied a ticket in 2014. In his place Susanta Kumar Behera had contested and won by defeating his Congress rival by 10,000 votes. However, Behera’s fate remains undecided till now with other names floating in the party circles.
According to sources, the name of former bureaucrat Dhusasan Behera besides Raj Kishor Naik, Panchanan Behera and Subal Pati are in the reckoning.The Congress is likely to give ticket to former State Mahila Congress chief Sasmita Behera, daughter of former union minister Bhajman Behera, who had contested from Talcher seat last time. Some other hopefuls for the seat are Narottam Naik and Gopabandhu Naik.
Though Agasti Behera has emerged the front-runner for BJP ticket, Santosh Naik is another claimant. Party sources said the high command has already decided to give ticket to Agasti who had contested on Congress ticket in 2014 and lost. He had joined BJP last year.