BHUBANESWAR: Aspirants from different political parties have started hectic lobbying for getting nomination from the three newly-carved Assembly seats in Bhubaneswar.
Assembly segments in Bhubaneswar will go to polls in the second phase.
The BJD and the Congress have a long list of aspirants for the three seats. The Bhubaneswar Assembly seat was with the BJP before the delimitation exercise.
The Ekamra-Bhubaneswar Assembly segment has a number of young aspirants trying for a ticket from the BJD. Sources maintained that Babu Singh, president of the Bhubaneswar district Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD), has emerged as a front-runner for getting ticket.
Singh has a long association with the erstwhile Janata Dal and BJD. He was the president of the Bhubaneswar unit Chhatra Janata Dal for three years from 1994. He was also the Khurda district Biju Chhatra Janata Dal president in 1997-98.
Singh had organised a cycle rally in 1999 from Bhubaneswar to Delhi to demand special package from the Centre for cyclone-affected people of the State.
He is, however, facing stiff competition from other aspirants. Those include Rashmi Mohapatra, wife of former corporator Ajay Harichandan, and Rajendra Barik, samiti member of Patrapada panchayat.
Even though the candidate for the seat is yet to be finalised by BJD, Singh seems to be way ahead of his contenders as he has already launched campaign work. While Sameer Mohanty of BJP is likely to enter the fray, Congress is likely to announce its candidate tomorrow.
The constituency comprises ward number 12, 14,15 and 30 to 34 and 38 to 47 of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Basuaghai, Itipur, Tikarpada, Dhauli and Sisupalgarh gram panchayats of Bhubaneswar block.
After the divorce with the BJP, the BJD is in search of a suitable candidate for the Bhubaneswar central seat. Senior BJP leader Biswabhusan Harichandan is going to contest from the seat while the BJD is toying with the idea of fielding Agriculture Minister Surendranath Nayak from the seat. Kakatpur seat, which Nayak represented in the Assembly, has been reserved for the SCs. Congress is, however, yet to finalise its candidate for the seat. The seat includes ward number 16 to 29 and 35 to 37 of BMC. Similarly, Bhagirathi Badjena, Priyadarshi Mishra, Dr Sarat Mishra and Badal Mohanty are lobbying for BJD ticket from Bhubaneswar north seat.
