BHUBANESWAR: With the Election Commission of India (ECI) announcing that the by-polls to Assembly constituencies in different states will be completed by November end, activities have picked up in political parties in Odisha for selection of candidates for Balasore Sadar and Tirtol, where by-polls are due.
While the contest is likely to be between the BJD and BJP, the Congress has started preparations for the by-polls early by setting up committees for selection of candidates. The Balasore seat was held by BJP while BJD had won from Tirtol in 2019 Assembly elections.
Sources said Manas Dutt, son of deceased BJP MLA Madan Mohan Dutt, has emerged as a strong contender for a BJP ticket for Balasore seat though senior leaders including former MP Kharavela Swain may also get the green signal from the party to contest the by-poll.
The Congress ticket for Balasore is most likely go to Navajyoti Patnaik, son of president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik.
The ruling BJD is yet to formally start the process for selection of candidates for the seat though several names are doing the rounds.
While former MP Rabindra Jena is a strong contender for a ticket, chances of his wife Subhasini Jena getting the BJD’s nod cannot be ruled out. Besides, Jiban Pradip Das who had lost to Madan Mohan Dutt of BJP in 2019 is also in the race for BJD ticket. Das had won from the Balasore seat in 2009 and 2014 elections.
Congress whip in the Assembly Tara Prasad Bahinipati, who heads the committee for selection of candidate for Balasore seat, said the candidate has almost been finalised and it will be announced after the ECI declared the dates.
However, the Tirtol seat is considered to be safe for BJD. Several aspirants including Minati Behera, president of the Biju Mahila Janata Dal, former MLA Rajashree Mallik and Bijay Shankar Das, son of late BJD leader Bisnu Das, are in the race for ticket from the BJD. The Assembly seat had fallen vacant following the death of Bisnu Das.