BHUBANESWAR: Putting an end to the suspense, Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera as the party’s candidate for Kendrapara Assembly constituency which will go to polls in the fourth phase on April 29.
The last date of filing of nomination papers for Kendrapara seat is April 9. Behera, a former Rajya Sabha Member, was elected from Jayadev Assembly constituency in 2014 elections. However, the senior leader was not renominated from the same seat for the ensuing polls. BJD has fielded former minister Arabinda Dhali from the seat.
Behera will take on former minister Ganeswar Behera of Congress and Sunakar Behera of BJP. The Finance Minister has replaced BJD sitting MLA Kishore Chandra Tarai as the party’s candidate from the constituency.