Former Odisha Minister Anjali Behera is now a samiti member candidate
DHENKANAL: Former BJD minister and BJP leader Anjali Behera has entered the panchayat election arena as a samiti member candidate in Hindol block.
Formerly Women and Child Development minister in Naveen Patnaik government, Behera filed her nomination from Giridhari Prasad panchayat on Friday. The seat is reserved for Scheduled Caste women.
Talking to TNIE, Behera said she decided to fight the rural polls as she wanted to serve people. “The 2024 election is two years away from now and I cannot wait for such a long time. People of my constituency wanted me to be with them in their weal and woe. So I decided to become a samiti member at least for the time being.”
Behera said 18 out of 35 panchayats in the block are reserved. Hence, there is a bright chance of reserved candidates calling the shots in the election of block chairman post which will be held after the polls.
“If BJP members win majority, I can contest for chairperson post of Hindol block which is reserved for women. I hope people will elect me. I will also contest as an MLA from BJP in 2024,” she asserted.
Daughter of former minister late Trinath Naik, Behera is a three-time MLA from Hindol Assembly constituency. She was also a minister from 2009 to 2012. However, she was axed from the ministry after she attended the May 29 ‘coup’ by Pyarimohan Mohapatra, the former confidante of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, in 2012.
Behera was denied ticket in 2014 Assembly election but she contested as an Independent from Hindol and lost. In 2019, she supported her brother Ashok Naik to contest from Hindol on BJP ticket. However, Naik lost to BJD’s Simarani Naik. Behera joined BJP in September last year.