BHUBANESWAR: Even as the central election committee of BJP is likely to announce the name of candidates for the remaining three parliamentary seats and at least 100 Assembly seats on Friday, the prospect of Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab getting a party ticket from the Lok Sabha constituency seems almost certain.
Soon after state BJP president Manmohan Samal and general secretary organisation Manas Mohanty left for Delhi to hold further discussions with central leaders on finalisation of candidates for the state, senior BJP leader Prithviraj Harichandan told mediapersons the party is expected to name candidates for the remaining three Lok Sabha seats of Cuttack, Jajpur and Kandhamal and at least 100 out of 147 Assembly constituencies.
The party has already announced its candidates for 18 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state. After the joining of MP from Cuttack Bhartruhari Mahtab in BJP in Delhi, it is almost sure he will get the party ticket for the seat. The party had no suitable candidate for the Lok Sabha seat after Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was sent to Rajya Sabha from the state.
Since the party has already named Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy for Berhampur Lok Sabha seat, it is not clear where former MP Sidhant Mohapatra will be accommodated.
Mohapatra was elected twice from Berhampur on BJD ticket. While a last minute change in the candidature for the Lok Sabha seat has not been ruled out, sources said Mohapatra may be fielded from Kandhamal or given an Assembly ticket either from Digapahandi or Berhampur seat.
“In fact many of us were not aware of Mohapatra’s entry into BJP. It happened so suddenly that it is difficult to guess the kind of arrangements made for him. Definitely there must be some plan which will be known on Friday,” sources said.
The name of Santali writer and Padma Shri Damayanti Besra who joined the BJP on the day is being discussed for Rairangpur seat as sitting MLA Naba Charan Majhi has been named for Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha seat.