JAJPUR: While BJD senior leader Prafulla Chandra Ghadei is trying his luck again from Sukinda Assembly constituency, his son Preeti Ranjan Ghadei is fighting from the Korei seat on a BJD ticket. Prafulla will take on his traditional enemy Sarat Chandra Rout of the Congress, while his son will face a tough fight from both the Congress and the BJP. While sitting BJP MLA Sanchita Mohanty is seeking renomination from the seat, the Congress has fielded a new face Hemalata Khuntia. Hemalata is the wife of Rajya Sabha member Rama Chandra Khuntia of Congress.
While Ranjan is making an electoral debut, his father Prafulla is a veteran and is well aware of the tricks of the trade. Despite being defamed in the Biraja idol swapping and Kalinga Nagar massacre cases, his election strategy and survival instinct have brought party tickets for him and his son.
Another family in the fray is that of sitting BJD legislator Kalpataru Das. However, Das would be pitted against his brother-in-law Ramesh Chandra Parida.
While Kalpataru is seeking re-election for the fourth time in a row from Dharmasala assembly constituency, his brother-inlaw Ramesh is trying his luck in the same constituency on a BJP ticket.
While Kalpataru is a seasoned politician, his brother-in-law is a green horn. Ramesh, sitting block chairman of Dharmasala, was earlier in the BJD but he quit after he was denied a ticket. He joined the BJP and filed his nomination for Dharmasala Assembly constituency.
However, poll observers opine that Kalpataru faces a tough fight against Ramesh as the latter, being a youth leader, enjoys the support of young voters.