BHUBANESWAR: Brewing resentment in the Congress over candidate selection, notwithstanding, president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik is likely to contest from two Assembly seats.
Sources said Patnaik is likely to contest from Ghasipura Assembly constituency after accepting the challenge from his arch-rival, School and Mass Education Minister and BJD candidate from the constituency Badri Narayan Patra. Ghasipura constituency was created in 2009 and Patra had represented it both the times (2009 and 2014). Patnaik had unsuccessfully contested against Patra in 2009 polls.
The OPCC president will contest from a second seat, possibly Bhandaripokhari Assembly constituency. Sources said the AICC is likely to clear Patnaik’s candidature from both the seats. Speaking to mediapersons, Patnaik said he has requested AICC to make him the candidate from Ghasipura.
Patra had dared Patnaik on Thursday to contest against him, saying that people of Keonjhar do not know who Niranjan Patnaik is as he has no contribution for development of the area. Reacting to the possibility of Patnaik contesting from Ghasipura, the Minister told mediapersons that it will have no impact on the election result.