PURI: With the greatest spectacle of democracy in the world set to unfold in the coming days, hectic parleys are on for party tickets from Puri Lok Sabha constituency. The constituency, formed in 1998, comprises Puri, Pipili, Satyabadi, Chilika, Nayagarh, Brahmagiri and Ranpur Assembly seats. While the present MP Pinaki Mishra of BJD will be seeking a third term, speculations are rife that the ruling party may field a new face this time.
The name of former Mumbai police commissioner Arup Patnaik from is doing the rounds even as Mishra who returned to the Lok Sabha twice from the seat is depending on party legislators to back him for the ticket. However, he has been under fire from detractors in the party for not maintaining contact with the masses and this has been conveyed to party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
In BJP, the party’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra is believed to be vying for the ticket. Sources said the saffron party may also consider the names of veteran film actress Mahasweta Rai, Dr Basant Kumar Pati and former Odisha DGP Prakash Mishra. However, all this may change if Prime Minister Narendra Modi decides to contest from the constituency.
BJP is enthused after its performance in the last panchayat and zilla parishad polls and is confident of causing an upset in the constituency which has remained a fortress of BJD. Of the seven Assembly seats, BJD had won in six while Chilika had gone to BJP. The party has strengthened its position in Brahmagiri where former Congress leader late Lulu Mohapatra’s daughter Upasana and brother Lalitendu along with his followers have joined it.
In Congress, leader of the party’s Krushak Cell Amiya Pattnaik, youth leader Jaikrushna Patnaik and Sucharita Mohanty, the daughter of former Union Minister Brajmohan Mohanty and noted journalist Satya Rai are said to be in the forefront of the ticket race. Sources said Congress may also support former Union Minister and Samata Kranti Dal leader Brajkishore Tripatahy, who has represented the constituency thrice, if it enters into an agreement with his party.