BHUBANESWAR: The Congress on Saturday fielded former union minister Sirkant Jena from Balasore Lok Sabha seat that had elected him back in 2009.
Announcing candidates for eight more Lok Sabha seats, the Pradesh Congress sprang a surprise by reposing confidence in student leader Yasir Nawaz, president of state unit National Student Union of India. Nawaz will contest from Bhubaneswar.
The party nominated Sucharita Mohanty for Puri Lok Sabha seat which she unsuccessfully contested in 2014. She had lost to Pinaki Mishra of BJD by a huge margin but came second. It also named former MLA Ananta Prasad Sethi for Bhadrak Lok Sabha seat and Anchal Das for Jajpur Lok Sabha seat.
Three-time MLA from Nimapara and former minister Rabindra Kumar Sethy was named as candidate from Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seat, while Sidharth Swarup Das will contest from Kendrapara Parliamentary constituency (PC). The party repeated Mohan Hembram from Keonjhar.
After his nomination from Balasore Jena said, “Poeple of the state are now aware that both BJP and BJD are one. They should stop hoodwinking people. I invite leaders of both parties to present what they have done for the development of Balasore.”
“The excitement of people I see during my visit to different areas of this constituency indicates we will give a strong fight and defeat BJD and BJP,” Jena added.
Jena will take on former minister and sitting MP of BJP Pratap Sarangi and Lekhasri Samantsinghar of BJD in the parliamentary seat.
Nawaz, the youth leader of Congress, said he will seek the blessings of senior leader of the party and Jatni MLA Suresh Kumar Routray who is actively canvassing for his son Manmath Routray, the BJD candidate for the parliamentary seat.
Hembram who unsuccessfully contested from Keonjhar Lok Sabha seat in 2019 said he had little time to campaign last time. Asserting that he will win, Hembram said, “There is a wave of change after Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra. I have ample time to connect with the people. My fight will be against injustice, unemployment and farmers’ plight.”