PURI: In the absence of alliance with the BJP, the BJD may face stiff competition in Brahmagiri, Satyabadi, Kakatpur and Nimapara Assembly segments of the district. Maheswar Mohanty of BJD and Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra of Congress have returned from Puri and Brahmagiri seats respectively three times in a row.
Last time BJP won in Nimapara while it helped Ramarajan Baliarsingh win from Satyabadi.
The candidature of Surendranath Dash, former civic body chairman, and Damodar Pradhani, a serving bureaucrat, is being considered by the BJD supremo for the Puri seat.
However, supporters of sitting MLA Maheswar Mohanty strongly believe that their leader would get the ticket.
Mohanty may be asked to fight for Puri MP seat, said party insiders.
In Brahmagiri, odds are heavily stacked against young BJD leader Sanjay Dasburma who is hopeful of getting ticket this time.
Dasburma lost to Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra of Congress in last Assembly poll. Meanwhile, a number of BJD functionaries have joined NCP and BSP and they may divide BJD votes.
In Satyabadi seat, Umakanta Samantray, a Biju loyalist, and Sitakanta Mishra are in the race for BJD ticket. The Congress is likely to renominate Prasad Harichandan. Sitting MLA Ramaranjan Baliarsingh (Ind) is also trying for BJD ticket.
In Nimapara segment, Samir Dash, a local BJD leader, is being considered for the party nomination. If Agriculture Minister Surendranath Nayak opts for Nimapara as his Kakatpur seat has been reserved for SCs, the party may give him ticket, it is learnt.
This apart if there will be a seat-sharing agreement between BJD and Left, the CPI, which is projecting Prafulla Mishra as its nominee, may ask for the seat.
There are a number of aspirants from Congress and among them the frontrunners are Bhagirathi Rout and Satyabrat Patra. The BJP is considering to field a woman candidate.
In Kakatpur (SC) seat, a large number of aspirants is in the line to get BJD ticket. They were Rabi Mallick, former block chairman Chaitanya Sethi, social activist Sandhyarani Behera, Kailash Behera and fishermen community leader Prasanna Behera.
In Congress there are many new aspirants too. Since the Congress has increased it organisational strength by capturing the Konark NAC and Astaranga, Kakatpur and Gop blocks, the party is hopeful of winning the seat.
The aspirants from Congress include Narendra Behera, a local businessman, engineer Krushna Behera, Adhikari Behera and Biswaranjan Das.
In Pipili the fight is expected to be between old rivals Pradip Maharathy of BJD and Judhistir Samantray (Kedar) of Congress.
